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Teenager suffers serious head injuries in Croydon 'hate crime' attack Teenager in critical condition in Croydon 'hate crime' attack
(about 3 hours later)
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. A teenage asylum seeker is fighting for his life in hospital after being beaten in a “brutal attack” by a gang of eight youths at a bus stop in Croydon, south London.
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 boy was with two friends late on Friday night when he was approached by the gang, who demanded to know where he was from. After replying that he was seeking asylum, the gang chased him and launched their attack.
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 teenager, a Kurdish Iranian, was left lying on the ground unconscious. Scotland Yard said he suffered a fractured skull and blood clot on the brain and was in a critical condition. The other two youths suffered minor injuries. His attackers ignored pleas from witnesses to stop and ran off only after hearing the sound of police sirens.
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. Ch Supt Jeff Boothe, Croydon’s borough commander, said the teenager had been a victim of “a frenzied attack by a large number of people”.
“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 attack has prompted a wave of condemnation, with Conservative minister Gavin Barwell, Croydon Central’s MP, describing the attackers as “scum”. He said: “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.”
“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.” He added that Croydon was a diverse community and generally had “very good relations between people of different backgrounds”.
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. Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott condemned the attack and suggested the Conservatives had failed to get to grips with so-called hate crimes. “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.
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.”
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.
“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.”“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. Investigating officer 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 area. 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’s an appalling crime, and I hope the people responsible are caught quickly and receive the full force of British justice.” “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. 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 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.” The teenager’s condition has since been updated to “serious but stable”.
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.