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| Teenager fights for his life after 'hate crime' attack in Croydon | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A teenage asylum seeker is fighting for his life after being beaten in a “brutal attack” by a gang in what police are treating as a hate crime. | A teenage asylum seeker is fighting for his life after being beaten in a “brutal attack” by a gang in what police are treating as a hate crime. |
| The 17-year-old was waiting at a bus stop with two friends in Croydon, south-east London, when he was set upon by around eight youths. | The 17-year-old was waiting at a bus stop with two friends in Croydon, south-east London, when he was set upon by around eight youths. |
| They asked him where he was from, and when he told them he was an asylum seeker they chased after him and launched their attack. | They asked him where he was from, and when he told them he was an asylum seeker they chased after him and launched their attack. |
| Scotland Yard said the boy suffered serious head injuries and is in a critical condition in hospital. His two friends escaped with minor injuries. | Scotland Yard said the boy suffered serious head injuries and is in a critical condition in hospital. His two friends escaped with minor injuries. |
| The attack happened in Shrublands Avenue at 11.40pm on Friday, and no arrests have been made. | The attack happened in Shrublands Avenue at 11.40pm on Friday, and no arrests have been made. |
| DS Kris Blamires said: “At this early stage it is believed that about eight suspects approached the victim as he waited at a bus stop with two friends outside the Goat public house in the Shrublands. | |
| “It is understood that the suspects asked the victim where he was from, and when they established that he was an asylum seeker they chased him and launched a brutal attack. | “It is understood that the suspects asked the victim where he was from, and when they established that he was an asylum seeker they chased him and launched a brutal attack. |
| “He has sustained critical head and facial injuries as a result of this attack, which included repeated blows to the head by a large group of attackers. A number of people came to the aid of the victim as he lay unconscious and injured following the assault. | “He has sustained critical head and facial injuries as a result of this attack, which included repeated blows to the head by a large group of attackers. A number of people came to the aid of the victim as he lay unconscious and injured following the assault. |
| “The suspects are believed to have made off in the direction of the Goat pub, Broom Road, following the attack. | “The suspects are believed to have made off in the direction of the Goat pub, Broom Road, following the attack. |
| “All communities stand together against hate and we would ask anyone with any information to come forward immediately.” | “All communities stand together against hate and we would ask anyone with any information to come forward immediately.” |
| A London ambulance service spokeswoman said: “ We were called at 11.41pm yesterday (31 March) to reports of an assault on Shrublands Avenue, Croydon. | |
| “We sent an ambulance crew, a senior paramedic in a car and an incident response officer to the scene. We treated a teenager for serious head injuries and he was taken to a major trauma centre as a priority.” | |
| Police are urging those who helped the boy and anyone who witnessed the attack to get in touch, calling police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. | Police are urging those who helped the boy and anyone who witnessed the attack to get in touch, calling police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. |