London police begin probe into attacks on Asian students

Investigation into two alleged racist attacks on Asian students outside a university here has commenced, police said today.

On Friday, around 30 youths, both white and black, confronted Asian students near City University in Islington, central London and attacked them with metal poles, bricks and sticks.

Four victims who were stabbed in the incident were released from the hospital on the same day, police said. Two other men also sustained injuries in the incident.

The identity of the Asian students has not been disclosed.

Police has arrested three youths aged 17, 18 and 19 in connection with the violence on St John Street.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident earlier in the day, another gang of boys passed racist comments on another student in the same area.

The Federation of Student Islamic Societies, an Islamic student group said, “The mob assault was the culmination of a series of attacks. Islamophobic and racist abuse had been shouted at students”.

A police spokesman said patrols were taking place around the university as a result of the violence, and officers are using special stop and search powers on potential suspects.

Detective Inspector Trevor Borley, of the Islington police community safety unit, said: “We are taking this matter very seriously. We have put out reassurance patrols in St John Street and surrounding area. In addition, we will also be carrying out searches.”

“City University has also tightened security measures around its buildings,” Mr. Borley said.

Figures show that racist offences in Islington, central London, rocketed by 54 per cent in the last year.

The number of offences in a rolling 12-month period has risen from 292 last year to 450 this year, according to the Metropolitan Police. It is the biggest increase in any city borough, and far exceeds London’s total rise of six per cent.

The Met has described the suspects in the first attack on Monday as black while all of the attackers were teenagers.