One in Six Arrested in Southport Riots Were Minors, Data Reveals

Over 1,700 arrests followed the deadly Southport stabbings, with a significant portion involving individuals under 18.

Police data shows 219 of the 1,233 arrests across 32 forces involved individuals under 18, representing one in six of those detained.
The unrest erupted after the tragic killing of three young girls—Alice da Silva Aguiar, Bebe King, and Elsie Dot Stancombe—at a Southport dance class on July 30.
Public order offences accounted for the majority of arrests, with additional charges including assault, theft, possession of weapons, and drug-related crimes.
Greater Manchester Police made the most arrests (160), followed by Merseyside (148) and the Metropolitan Police (142), while Humberside recorded the highest number of minor arrests (38).
Authorities emphasized balancing the need to hold offenders accountable with avoiding unnecessary criminalization of youth, as investigations and arrests are ongoing.