The trial of an 18-year-old charged in connection with a fatal stabbing incident that claimed three lives and left several others injured at a Taylor Swift themed dance class is set to begin on Monday in the UK.
Axel Rudakubana, who was 17 at the time of the attack, faces charges including three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder, and additional charges related to the production of a biological toxin and possession of terrorist materials.
Rudakubana has refused to speak in court, and has pleaded not guilty. The trial is expected to last four weeks.
The stabbings occurred on July 29 in Southport, a seaside town in northwest England.
The attack took place at Hart Space, a private dance studio where a group of young girls was attending a class. Prosecutors allege Rudakubana attacked the group with a knife, killing three children: Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Bebe King, 6.
Eight other girls, aged 7 to 13, were wounded in the incident, along with their instructor, Leanne Lucas, and Jonathan Hayes, a neighboring business employee who intervened. Fifteen other children, as young as 5, were present but unharmed.
In the months following his arrest, Rudakubana was charged with producing the biological toxin ricin and possessing an al-Qaida manual, allegedly found on his computer. While police have not classified the stabbings as acts of terrorism, the motive remains unclear.
The attack sparked widespread unrest across parts of England and Northern Ireland after Rudakubana was falsely identified on social media as an asylum-seeker who had arrived in Britain by boat. This misinformation fueled riots in dozens of cities, where far-right groups targeted mosques and migrant housing. Police vehicles were set ablaze, and officers clashed with violent protesters armed with bottles and rocks.
More than 1,200 people were arrested in connection with the unrest, and hundreds have since been sentenced to prison terms of up to nine years.
Rudakubana, born in Wales to Rwandan immigrants, remains in custody as the trial proceeds. Authorities continue to investigate the events leading up to the attack, but no motive has yet been established.
The post Taylor Swift themed class attacker goes on trial first appeared on KBC.
The post Taylor Swift themed class attacker goes on trial appeared first on KBC.