How far-right misinformation spread online about Southport stabbing suspect

Police were forced to appeal for people not to speculate online about the Southport stabbing after an incorrect name for the suspect was shared on social media.

After the attack, which left three girls dead and five fighting for their lives, misinformation spread on social media, claiming that the 17-year-old unnamed suspect was an asylum seeker.

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Police were said to be monitoring reports of a far-right rally potentially taking place in Southport on Tuesday evening amid concerns that false information could fuel community tensions.

Officers have confirmed the suspect arrested was born in Cardiff. It is understood his parents came to the UK from Rwanda, with his father believed to be a black belt in karate.

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Sunder Katwala, director of the think-tank British Future, said a fake news channel seemed to have invented a false name and story.

Mr Katwala said:“There are different types of bad faith actor spreading misinformation at pace in heightened circumstances.

“There may be low quality feeds masquerading as news sites, even scraping social media rumours to produce AI-generated content.

“There can be more deliberate networks of extreme actors, including far-right groups and foreign intelligence actors.”

Within hours, social media posts repeating the fake news, had gained millions of likes and engagements.

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