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| Teenager suffers serious head injuries in Croydon 'hate crime' attack | Teenager suffers serious head injuries in Croydon 'hate crime' attack |
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| A teenage asylum seeker has been left 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, believed to be an Iranian Kurd, was waiting at a bus stop with two friends in Croydon, south-east London, when he was set upon by about eight youths. | |
| The youths 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 was originally in a critical condition in hospital, having sustained a fractured skull and a blood clot on his brain. His status has since been revised to “serious but stable”. | The youths 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 was originally in a critical condition in hospital, having sustained a fractured skull and a blood clot on his brain. His status has since been revised to “serious but stable”. |
| The attack happened in Shrublands Avenue at 11.40pm on Friday, and no arrests have been made. His two friends escaped with minor injuries. | The attack happened in Shrublands Avenue at 11.40pm on Friday, and no arrests have been made. His two friends escaped with minor injuries. |
| 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. | 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. |
| “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. All communities stand together against hate and we would ask anyone with any information to come forward immediately.” | “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.” |
| The refugee was kicked repeatedly while on the floor, “by all accounts with members of the public asking them (his attackers) to stop”. They only did so when they heard sounds of police sirens approaching, said Ch Supt Jeff Boothe, Croydon’s borough commander. | |
| A London ambulance service spokeswoman said: “We were called at 11.41pm on Friday to reports of an assault on Shrublands Avenue, Croydon. | A London ambulance service spokeswoman said: “We were called at 11.41pm on Friday 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.” | “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.” |
| Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott quickly condemned the attack and suggested the Conservatives had failed to get to grips with hate crimes. | Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott quickly condemned the attack and suggested the Conservatives had failed to get to grips with hate crimes. |
| She said: “Sadly this is not an isolated incident but part of a sustained increase in hate crimes that this Tory government is yet to offer any effective response to. | She said: “Sadly this is not an isolated incident but part of a sustained increase in hate crimes that this Tory government is yet to offer any effective response to. |
| “With rightwing politicians across the world scapegoating migrants, refugees and others for their economic problems, we are seeing a deeply worrying rise in the politics of hate. We must make clear that there is no place for anti-foreigner myths, racism and hate in our society.” | |
| Tory minister Gavin Barwell, Croydon Central’s MP, described the attackers as “scum”. He told the Press Association: “I think most people in Croydon will be as appalled as I am that what appears to have happened is a young man who came to this country seeking sanctuary has apparently been targeted because of his ethnic background. | |
| “It’s an appalling crime, and I hope the people responsible are caught quickly and receive the full force of British justice.” | |
| 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. |