Protesters, fueled by anger, clashed with police outside a mosque in northwest England on Tuesday, injuring over 20 officers.

The unrest followed a peaceful vigil in Southport, where hundreds had gathered to mourn three girls fatally stabbed the previous day.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the violence, which he said had hijacked the vigil.

The violent crowd, believed to be supporters of the far-right English Defence League, torched police vehicles and was reportedly incited by false rumors about the teenage suspect arrested for the stabbings.

Merseyside Police clarified that the suspect, a 17-year-old born in Britain, was not an asylum seeker, contrary to online claims, NBC News has reported.

The Liverpool Region Mosque Network denounced the stabbings as a “heinous” act unconnected to Islam.

Written by B.C. Begley