On Monday, 29th, July 2024, three young girls under the age of 10 were killed in a horrifying knife attack during their primary school dance workshop last Monday but also left 8 other children and two adults seriously injured. Axel Rudakubana, A 17-year-old male from Rwanda has been charged with their deaths.
After the attack, Rumours, spread largely by far-right racist individuals but also picked up and repeated with commentary or attribution in the press led to a string of riots across towns and cities in England attacking people who fit this attacker’s description. Started in Southport just 36 hours after the attack, these erupted around the country — London; Hartlepool and Manchester; Aldershot and Sunderland. Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7 Both girls were living in Witford Park. and Seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancome’s mother posted a call for ‘violence to stop’ on social media.
This fake frontline information was quickly shared on far-right social media accounts — including those from supporters of the long since defunct English Defence League (EDL) saying that it showed an “asylum seeker” and calling for protests across Britain. There were reports of violence towards mosques in places like Southport and Hartlepool. A supporter shouts “We want our country back” as Brexit-backing crowds in London on Friday celebrated after midnight. Crowds surrounded hotels used to accommodate asylum seekers in Aldershot and Manchester, with clashes reported with police. Rocks and bricks were also reportedly lobbed in the direction of police. It has left police and emergency services injured; property ransacked, smashed up or on fire — such as in Sunderland where a fire was started at the Citizens Advice office next to the ravaged police building. Tell Mama, an organisation that tracks reports of Islamophobia, also demanded higher police presence around mosques.
Damages Liability and Legal Recourse for Victims
Criminal Liability
s4 Public Order Act 1986 states that; (1)A person is guilty of an offence if he— (a)uses towards another person threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour. This act criminalises actions that incite violence or racial hatred. Those spreading false information and inciting violence can be prosecuted under Sections 4A, 5, 17, and 18 of the Act.
Individuals causing property damage during the riots can be held criminally liable under Sections 1 and 3 of Criminal Damage Act 1971.
Civil Liability
- Tort of Negligence: Individuals and organisations that negligently spread false information may be liable if it can be shown that they owed a duty of care, breached that duty, and caused foreseeable harm.
- Tort of Defamation: Those who spread false statements causing harm to individuals or groups can be sued for defamation.
- Tort of Trespass to Land and Nuisance: Individuals who unlawfully enter property or cause substantial interference with the use and enjoyment of land may be liable under these torts.
- Human Rights Act 1998
- Article 8: Protects the right to private and family life, which may be invoked by victims whose homes were attacked or who were personally assaulted.
Liability of Parties Involved
- Individuals Spreading Rumours
- Those who initially spread the rumours and false information could be held liable for incitement under the Public Order Act 1986.
- Civil liability may also arise under the tort of negligence if it can be proven that spreading such rumours breached a duty of care owed to the public, foreseeably causing harm.
- Far-Right Groups and Individuals
- Organised groups and individuals who promoted violence can be prosecuted under criminal law for incitement to racial hatred and violence.
- Civil claims for damages can be brought against these groups and individuals for negligence, defamation, and trespass to land.