Street assault on students ‘was racially aggrevated’
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Two City students were stabbed on Thursday 5 November yards from the university on St John Street in what police say was a “racially aggravated” assault.
A group of 30 white and black men attacked six Asian males, four of whom were stabbed. The attack began near the Gloucester building, which houses the university’s Muslim prayer room.
Three men, aged 17, 18 and 19, were arrested. They have since been released on bail on condition that they do not go within 100 metres of City University or contact any City student or prosecution witness.
The injured were taken by ambulance to University College Hospital and were all released the same day.
Police were called to St John Street at 7.45pm after reports of a fight involving a large group of young men with sticks and poles. The police closed off part of St John Street as a “crime scene area” for several hours.
The two injured City students are believed to be members of the university’s Islamic Society. The society’s website says that attacks came “from any and every hidden corner”.
The society says the attack also followed an incident involving students outside university buildings on Monday 2 November.
Third-year student Ali Elhamamy, a member of the Islamic Society, told the Islington Gazette that the attacks had begun on that Monday when one student was punched as he was going into the prayer room and ten other students were hit with bricks when leaving evening prayers. Mr Elhamamy said: “There was a lot of blood and it was a very scary time.”
“This cannot go on. We are not interested in revenge attacks and just want to complete our studies. People are scared they will be killed.”
Detective inspector Trevor Borley from Islington Police Community Safety Unit said: “We are taking this matter very seriously. We have put out reassurance patrols in the St John Street and surrounding area.” Since the incident, a police van has been doing daily patrols around the university.
Acting vice-chancellor Julius Weinberg sent a circular email to all students and staff informing them of the incident. He urged students to “take sensible precautions in the local streets.”
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