LONDON: A man stabbed an 11-year-old girl and her mother in London’s bustling theatre district Monday before being arrested, police said, adding that there was no indication the attack was terrorism-related.
The attack occurred shortly before noon outside a tea shop in Leicester Square, a magnet for tourists with its shops and theatres. Workers from nearby shops leapt to the assistance of the victims.Officers arrived within four minutes and arrested the attacker, police said.
The girl was treated at hospital, and her life is not in jeopardy, police said. Her mother, 34, had less serious injuries.
The suspect is 32, and police said that they don’t believe he knew the victims. “An urgent investigation is ongoing and detectives are working to establish the details around exactly what happened,” Metropolitan Police detective chief superintendent Christina Jessah said.
The stabbing occurred during a recent rise in knife crime in Britain, which is on edge after days of violence as crowds spouting anti-immigrant and Islamophobic slogans clashed with police. The disturbances have been fuelled by right-wing activists who spread misinformation about a mass stabbing that killed three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed event. It was not clear if Monday’s attack had any link to the unrest. ap