A court hears how social media incited violence following a stabbing incident in Southport
Southport: So, there was this crazy incident where social media posts really stirred things up. It all started after three girls got stabbed at a dance class last July.
A guy named Andrew McIntyre, 39, created a Telegram channel called “Southport Wake Up” right after the stabbings. The court heard that this channel played a big role in the chaos that followed.
The prosecutor, Arthur Gibson, mentioned that the violence wasn’t just random. It seemed like there was some planning behind it, with people encouraging others to join in.
McIntyre was accused of being one of those people. His channel was flagged by a group called Hope Not Hate as a major source of posts about the violence.
He even shared content from a controversial site about a protest happening in Southport the next day. He posted a map and made some pretty alarming comments, urging people to gather.
Just hours before the violence erupted, he sent out a threatening message to the police, warning them to stay out of the way. Another user even chimed in with a violent remark about a mosque.
Now, McIntyre, who’s from Rufford near Ormskirk, is waiting to be sentenced. It’s a pretty wild situation, and it shows how powerful social media can be in stirring up trouble.
