King Charles III Visits Southport After Deadly Knife Attack

King Charles III visited the town of Southport in northwest England on Tuesday, where a tragic knife attack claimed the lives of three young girls and sparked nationwide anti-immigration riots. The 75-year-old monarch paid his respects by inspecting a vast sea of floral tributes to the victims and met with children who survived the attack.

Buckingham Palace stated that Charles wanted to personally thank the “frontline emergency staff for their ongoing work serving local people.”

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The monarch had faced criticism, including from historian Kate Williams, for not issuing a public statement on the riots sooner. Although he expressed condolences to the families of the three girls, he remained silent on the unrest for nearly two weeks.

Traditionally, the monarch refrains from commenting on issues that could provoke political controversy. However, in calls with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and police chiefs, Charles later expressed that he had been “greatly encouraged” by the response to the violence, which saw the “compassion and resilience of the many” counteract the “aggression and criminality of a few.”

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Footage showed the king waving to people as he walked through the town center. He was also scheduled to meet with regional leaders, emergency service representatives, and other local groups and faith leaders affected by the violent disorder that hit Southport the day after the July 29 mass stabbing.

Charles was also set to meet privately with some of the victims and their families, including children who were attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance class when the attack occurred. The stabbing spree, carried out by 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, claimed the lives of three young girls aged six, seven, and nine, and injured 10 others, including eight children. Rudakubana has been charged with murder and attempted murder.

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