Croydon asylum boy assault: Up to 20 people watched attack

[maximuswarrior]

A group of up to 20 people looked on as a gang punched and kicked a teenage asylum seeker at a bus stop in south London, neighbours have said.

Six people have been arrested on suspicion of the attempted murder of the Kurdish Iranian victim following Friday's attack in Shrublands Avenue, Croydon.

Those involved in the attack have been labelled "scum" by the local MP.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan also condemned the attack.

One resident of Shrublands Avenue said: "There was a massive group coming up from The Goat pub.

"You couldn't see who was hitting who. There was one person, the one who ended up in hospital, he was getting absolutely beaten up - kicked mostly in the facial area.

"He was getting kicked and punched by everyone.

"There was a group of roughly 10 people kicking and punching him and the rest, another 10 or 20, were all just around watching."

The resident added: "Then, when they heard sirens, they started to go.

"People that were there, witnesses, because they couldn't do anything against a group of 30 people, they had to wait until they moved off and that's when they managed to help him.

"That's eventually when the ambulance and police (arrived), and that was it."

The victim was waiting with two friends at the bus stop when he was set upon at about 23:40 BST.

It is believed the attackers asked him where he was from before they chased him down the road and repeatedly kicked him as he lay on the ground.

His friends suffered minor injuries in the attack, but the teenager is reported to have sustained a fractured skull and a blood clot on his brain.

He was taken to a south London hospital where he remains in a "serious but stable" condition.

Officers are in the process of informing next of kin.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: "Hate crime has no place in London, Britain or anywhere else.

"Our communities will not be divided by those who seek to sow hate.

"And we will always take a zero tolerance approach to hate crimes of any type. Anyone who witnesses a hate crime should report it to the police immediately."

The Refugee Council added that it was "disgusted" by the assault.

Director of advocacy, Dr Lisa Doyle, said: "We hope the perpetrators of this appalling attack are swiftly brought to justice and we wish the victim a full and speedy recovery."

Kana Varathan, who lives near the scene of the attack, said he heard the screams of the victim.

He said: "Normally, Friday night, they are always making noise, then it sounded really funny.

"Then, looking to the window, the group of people [were] beating one person.

"I never thought it was going to be a racist attack or something like that. I was surprised because this place is always good."

Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell used Twitter to appeal to anyone with information "about the scum" responsible for the attack to contact the police.

He told the BBC: "I described them on Twitter as scum. I think this is a cowardly and despicable attack.

"It appears that this young boy that sought sanctuary in this country has been set upon by a whole group of people because of his ethnic background. And I hope that we will find the people responsible and that they will face the full force of our criminal justice system."

Mr Barwell added: "The other thing that I would say is that what happened here is not representative of this community and that Croydon is one of the most diverse bits of London and people of different backgrounds get along very well.

"But people should not judge this community by the incident that happened here the other night."

Police arrested four men and two women - all aged 20 or 24.

'Divisive'

Ch Supt Jeff Boothe said: "A number of bystanders and eyewitnesses tried to intervene and say to the attackers that 'enough is enough'.

"By all accounts they didn't actually stop until the sound of police sirens were heard in the background."

He added: "Hate crime is something which we understand can be very, very divisive. Croydon is culturally diverse and we need to continue to celebrate that.

"We are appealing to all decent people from whatever background they come from to help us identify the individuals that are involved in this isolated attack."

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-39470487

 

[waz]

Poor guy found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time i.e. late at night, right near lots of stupid drunk people. I hope he recovers.

 

[livingdead]

Poor guy found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time i.e. late at night, right near lots of stupid drunk people. I hope he recovers.

I thought croydon has sizable minority population.. not a place you would associate with racial attack
... why would drunk people target somebody based on race? (and it seems to be a racial attack).

 

[el nino]

I thought croydon has sizable minority population.. not a place you would associate with racial attack
... why would drunk people target somebody based on race? (and it seems to be a racial attack).

Bunch of cowards

People don't realise how racist anglo saxon british can be.

 

[Steve781]

It's Brexit's fault!

 

[Stella Maris]

It's Brexit's fault!

Well maybe not its fault but surely part of a larger narrative. My niece is joining University in London in September and I am very concerned for her safety. She is of South Asian descent and can be easily mistaken as a Middle Eastern or whatever it is that drunk white trash hate for that day.

 

[waz]

I thought croydon has sizable minority population.. not a place you would associate with racial attack
... why would drunk people target somebody based on race? (and it seems to be a racial attack).

Lot's of bad people are around as well. It's not safe. Croydon has always had a rep.

Bunch of cowards

People don't realise how racist anglo saxon british can be.

The UK is amongst the most tolerant countries on the planet.

 

[Itachi]

The UK is amongst the most tolerant countries on the planet.

Dude....

None of the Western countries are tolerant. All have certain degrees of racism against Eastern peoples. Heck, they don't even spare their neighbors. You think they are going to take kindly on Muslims, Indians or Asians?

I know it's one thing to defend a country in which you take residency but we all openly know how much racism has been espoused by the US & the UK. After all, these 2 countries started the Trasn-Atlantic Slave Trade, in which African-Americans were brought over from Africa to the Caribbean, Europe & the Americas, thus also leading to a rise of superiority complex & racism.

Let's not white wash the historical & current oppressors.

 

[gayMo]

U.K. Is the pits

 

[SajjLad]

I thought croydon has sizable minority population.. not a place you would associate with racial attack
... why would drunk people target somebody based on race? (and it seems to be a racial attack).

I live in Croydon, some areas are completely diverse but there are still areas where seeing ethnic minorities (well except those working in takeaways and corner shops) are a rare sight. However, racial tensions here are very uncommon, the only example I can think of in the last decade or so was that one drunk woman who went viral on a tram.

 

[waz]

Dude....

None of the Western countries are tolerant. All have certain degrees of racism against Eastern peoples. Heck, they don't even spare their neighbors. You think they are going to take kindly on Muslims, Indians or Asians?

I know it's one thing to defend a country in which you take residency but we all openly know how much racism has been espoused by the US & the UK. After all, these 2 countries started the Trasn-Atlantic Slave Trade, in which African-Americans were brought over from Africa to the Caribbean, Europe & the Americas, thus also leading to a rise of superiority complex & racism.

Let's not white wash the historical & current oppressors.

Mate the UK is very tolerant. Some people within a country do tend to veer towards racism, but that doesn't reflect upon a country's policy.
As for taking residency, I haven't. I am third generation.
The Spanish and Portuguese started the transatlantic slave trade in the 15th century. The UK did take part yes, but the UK also ended the slave trade worldwide in 1807 with the abolition act, and then enforced that ban through the Royal Navy.
As for whitewashing, I wouldn't want to do any such thing. But to say the UK is a bigoted and racist country because of what happened in its past is not fair.
By the way it's now been confirmed that many of the attackers were of black and mixed raced heritage.

I live in Croydon, some areas are completely diverse but there are still areas where seeing ethnic minorities (well except those working in takeaways and corner shops) are a rare sight. However, racial tensions here are very uncommon, the only example I can think of in the last decade or so was that one drunk woman who went viral on a tram.

Here are the attackers.

 

[Trango Towers]

Well maybe not its fault but surely part of a larger narrative. My niece is joining University in London in September and I am very concerned for her safety. She is of South Asian descent and can be easily mistaken as a Middle Eastern or whatever it is that drunk white trash hate for that day.

If you feel so much fear then do my don't send her.

 

[SajjLad]

Here are the attackers.

Are we sure this isn't just the standard sort of YOB crime that happens here, and an asylum seeker just happened to get in the middle of it? Asylum seekers do take part in the gang culture here too.

Well maybe not its fault but surely part of a larger narrative. My niece is joining University in London in September and I am very concerned for her safety. She is of South Asian descent and can be easily mistaken as a Middle Eastern or whatever it is that drunk white trash hate for that day.

I've lived in the U.K. All my life and I'm south Asian and I've never dealt with any sort of verbals or physical abuse racially, this stuff is very rare in London. Maybe up north in more racial divided towns like Bradford etc it's different but here very little animosity occurs, at least on the surface.

 

[waz]

Are we sure this isn't just the standard sort of YOB crime that happens here, and an asylum seeker just happened to get in the middle of it? Asylum seekers do take part in the gang culture here too.

Sadly this was a bigoted attack. It was more akin to nationalism rather than racism. The clue here is that they asked where he was from i.e. wanting to make sure he wasn't a settled minority from here. Had he responded in a crisp London accent they would not have attacked him. But because he was from Iran, and his accent set him apart he was immediately attacked. The irony in all this is that the parents or grandparents of many of those involved most probably had foreign accents as well.
Disgusting filth, I hope they serve many years behind bars.

I've lived in the U.K. All my life and I'm south Asian and I've never dealt with any sort of verbals or physical abuse racially, this stuff is very rare in London. Maybe up north in more racial divided towns like Bradford etc it's different but here very little animosity occurs, at least on the surface.

Even up North it is very rare.

 

[Stella Maris]

If you feel so much fear then do my don't send her.

We do have something called freedom of choice wherein we don't decide things on behalf of adults.

Are we sure this isn't just the standard sort of YOB crime that happens here, and an asylum seeker just happened to get in the middle of it? Asylum seekers do take part in the gang culture here too.



I've lived in the U.K. All my life and I'm south Asian and I've never dealt with any sort of verbals or physical abuse racially, this stuff is very rare in London. Maybe up north in more racial divided towns like Bradford etc it's different but here very little animosity occurs, at least on the surface.

I have lived in UK sporadically. I travel and live in various countries on work. Things tend to change pretty quickly without sometimes even locals knowing about it. Because for safety, what is required is not a majority that is ambivalent/welcoming towards you, rather that the mischief-mongers (they are there everywhere let's face it) are not emboldened by indifference.