Prosecutors in the United Kingdom have charged a 17-year-old boy with murder and attempted murder in connection with a knife attack that resulted in the deaths of three girls and left ten others injured in the coastal town of Southport in North West England. The charges were filed on Thursday, coinciding with clean-up efforts in Southport following a period of violence from far-right groups that led to clashes near a mosque.

Merseyside Police reported that the young man, whose name has not been disclosed due to his age, faces three counts of murder and ten counts of attempted murder after the attack during a Taylor Swift-themed children’s dance and yoga workshop. He is scheduled to appear in court in Liverpool later on Thursday. Approximately two dozen children participated in the holiday workshop when the stabbing occurred. Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9 years old, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7 years old, and Bebe King, 6 years old, succumbed to their injuries. Among the ten injured are five girls and two adults, who are currently in critical condition.

Following the attack, far-right protesters initiated a series of violent demonstrations. On Tuesday evening, several hundred demonstrators gathered outside the residence of the British Prime Minister, throwing beer cans and fireworks while chanting slogans such as “Save our children” and “We want our country back.” According to the Metropolitan Police in London, over 100 people have been arrested for violent actions and assaults on emergency workers.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has strongly condemned the violent behavior, describing the protesters as a group that “hijacked” the community’s grief. In Southport, residents are participating in cleanup efforts after far-right protesters set fire to several vehicles, looted a shop, and clashed with police outside the town’s mosque. Merseyside Chief Constable Serena Kennedy expressed her disgust over the violence directed at the police, noting that over 50 officers sustained injuries, including more than 20 who required hospitalization.

Five men have been arrested in relation to the unrest in Southport, mainly for violent disorder, while one was arrested for possessing a knife. Further arrests are expected, according to Kennedy. The violent protests have been fueled by false rumors about the attackers, which have spread through social media. The police have dismissed these claims and confirmed that the arrested individual was born in the UK and is not a migrant, as alleged online.

Local residents, including the manager of the amusement park Southport Pleasureland, came together to clean up the streets. “It’s terrible what these hooligans have done,” he said. “But none of these individuals were residents of Southport.” Chanaka Balasuryla, a local shop owner, witnessed the looting through surveillance cameras and was horrified to see a gang break in. Nevertheless, he felt reassured by the support he received from neighbors during the cleanup the following day.

This attack is the latest in a series of shocking incidents related to the rise in knife crime in the country, raising increasing concerns among the population and calls for government intervention.