UK police: Hate crime beating could have involved 30 people
Iranian-Kurdish asylum-seeker has been in intensive care unit since Friday attack, for which 5 have been charged so far
LONDON (AP) — Authorities in London charged five people Monday over an unprovoked attack on a 17-year-old Iranian-Kurdish asylum-seeker as police sought to piece together the mob violence that involved up to 30 people.
London’s Metropolitan Police say the five were charged with violent disorder, with one also being charged with racially aggravated grievous bodily harm following the attack Friday in the London borough of Croydon. Three others remain in custody.
Police said a group of youths approached the teen at a bus stop and questioned him. Upon learning he was an asylum-seeker, they chased him through the streets and beat him. The attack only stopped after police sirens could be heard and bystanders intervened. The teen’s two friends got away.
The teen has been hospitalized with a fractured skull and a blood clot on the brain but police say he is starting to make a recovery and may be moved out of intensive care Monday.
Detectives are trying to find the victim’s family, who live in Iran. He has not been named.
As the investigation has progressed, police have increased their estimates of the number of people involved in the highly unusual incident.
“I think this was probably confidence by numbers,” Detective Superintendent Jane Corrigan said. “It started off with this smaller group of people, who were joined by between 20 to 30, and they just viciously attacked these individuals because they were asylum-seekers.”
The five people arrested by police are: Daryl Davis, 20, Danyelle Davis, 24, Barry Potts, 20, George Walder, 20, and Jack Walder, 24. All are from Croydon and have been charged with violent disorder.
George Walder has been additionally charged with racially aggravated grievous bodily harm.
The attack has prompted strong condemnation from London’s mayor and police officials.
The Times of Israel Community.