Debunked: How did social media fuel the Southport rioters?

Riots, fuelled by disinformation, erupted over the country overnight on Tuesday and Wednesday night after three children were tragically stabbed and killed during a dance class on Monday, July 29, 2024.

A website posing as a news organisation falsely claimed the suspect was named ‘Ali Al-Shakati,’ an asylum seeker who arrived by boat last year, and claims that police have discredited.

It’s a criminal offence to identify a suspect who is a minor until legal proceedings have been completed.

These falsehoods, amplified by far-right groups online, sparked violent protests outside a mosque in Southport and across the country.