City Council call blaze at Spellow Hub 'heart-breaking and despicable'
Local leaders have been responding to last night's unrest in Liverpool
Last updated 4th Aug 2024
Local leaders have been reacting to a blaze at one of a number of clashes demonstrators had with police last night in Liverpool.
The Prime Minister's held emergency talks to deal with the unrest - sparked by the fatal stabbings of three girls in Southport on Monday.
Merseyside Police say approximately 300 people were involved in violent disorder on County Road, Walton - where Spellow Hub is.
The site only opened last year to provide support for one of the most deprived communities in the country, suffered severe damage to the ground floor - in an incident officers said demonstrated the group were 'intent on committing serious violence and disorder'.
On social media, Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham said: "Devastated to see this wonderful community asset ravaged by thugs.
"Last year, we invested to transform it into a resource to help improve local people's lives. Last night, ransacked by people who simply do not care for our area.
"This is not protest. This is an insult to those families still grieving and survivors still struggling to make sense of Monday's attack.
"There can and must be consequences. They will feel the full force of the law."
Also set on fire was a local convenience store which provides a vital service for the community, earlier a number of people had entered the shop en masse and stolen a number of items including the till. Other shops were broken into and a number of wheelie bins and industrial bins were set on fire.
During the day 23 arrests were made. 12 people were arrested for the disorder in the city centre, nine people were arrested for the disorder on County Road and two people were arrested in connection with disorder in Southport.
ACC Alex Goss, said: “The violence and damage caused on County Road this evening is sickening and nothing can excuse the deplorable behaviour seen on our streets today. The impact of the disorder will be devastating for the people of Walton, but I promise that we are doing everything in our power to arrest those involved and bring them to justice.
“Throughout the day our officers have been confronted with violence on the streets of the city centre and on County Road. Firefighters who attended to put out a fire at the Spellow Lane Library Hub were also confronted by the group who tried to prevent them putting out the fire. These actions are utterly despicable.
“Many of those involved were young people and sadly, they were probably local. We are urging parents and guardians to make sure they know where their children are and what they are up to.
"I would appeal to anyone who witnessed the violence, or who knows those who were involved to contact us so we can find them and bring them to justice. In the coming days we will be examining footage from police body worn cameras and CCTV footage to identify the culprits.
He added: "I would like to thank our officers, and officers West Midlands, Lancashire, Cheshire, North Wales, Cumbria and Greater Manchester, who have been so professional throughout the day, and have bravely stepped up to the plate despite having bricks, wheelie bin, industrial bins and other items thrown at them. I would also like to thank Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service for their support, the North West Ambulance Service and staff at the Royal University Hospital who have provided medical assistance to our injured officers and Liverpool City Council, who will be out in the early hours of the morning trying to clean up the street and restore some semblance of normality."
You can contact Merseyside Police here.