Man arrested after child stabbed in London’s Leicester Square
Al Jazeera
An 11-year-old girl and 34-year-old woman were injured in central London, UK police say.
Police in the United Kingdom say they have arrested a man after a stabbing in London’s Leicester Square that left an 11-year-old girl needing hospital treatment and a 34-year-old woman with minor injuries.
The police said the incident on Monday in the central London square, an area popular with tourists, was not being treated as “terror-related”.
The stabbing occurred as the UK is on edge after violence over the past week saw crowds spouting anti-immigrant and Islamophobic slogans and clashing with police. The disturbances have been fuelled by right-wing activists.
The square where Monday’s attack took place and the surrounding area have an estimated 2.5 million visitors every week and are home to shops, theatres, cinemas and restaurants.
The injuries of the 11-year-old victim were not life-threatening, the police said, adding that she was being treated in hospital.
