A police van has been set on fire and officers have been injured in disorder outside a Southport mosque - with the chaos erupting in the wake of a knife attack that left three girls dead in the Merseyside town.
A crowd of men, many wearing masks and hoodies, have been in a running battle with officers outside the mosque this evening - with chants of 'English til I die' heard before the violence broke out. Police have said they believe the men are part of the far-right English Defence League. The violence comes after the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper urged social media users not to spread 'false information' about Monday's attack or the suspect online.
Southport latest: Follow live updates Some police officers have suffered what appear to be minor injuries in the chaotic scenes outside the Southport mosque. Officers have since put on helmets and riot gear, with stones and bottles launched at them and police riot vans attacked. Firecrackers could be heard going off along with multiple police sirens sounding. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
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