Man arrested after stabbing in London’s Leicester Square, 11-year-old in hospital

A police officer stands by a cordoned off area in Leicester square, London after a woman and an 11-year-old girl were hospitalised after being stabbed. (AFP)

• The attack occurred outside a tea shop in Leicester Square, a magnet for tourists with its shops, theaters and cinemas
• It was not clear if Monday’s attack had any link to recent unrest

LONDON: An 11-year-old girl and a 34-year-old woman were stabbed Monday in London’s busy theater district and a man was arrested, the Metropolitan Police said, adding there was no indication the attack was terror-related.
The attack occurred outside a tea shop in Leicester Square, a magnet for tourists with its shops, theaters and cinemas. The square and surrounding area have an estimated 2.5 million visitors every week.
The victims were taken to a major trauma center. The girl required treatment but her life was not in jeopardy, police said. The woman’s injuries were less serious.
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 fueled by right-wing activists who used social media to spread misinformation about a mass stabbing that killed three girls during a Taylor Swift-themed dance event.
It was not clear if Monday’s attack had any link to the unrest.
Police had been braced for further riots over the weekend, but no widespread unrest emerged. Ministers remained on high alert, Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office said, adding its work was not done in dealing with the fallout from the violence.