Reporters and other staff at a Bengali newspaper were beaten up in what is thought to be a revenge attack for a story.
Two
cars full of what police described as “Asian youths” screeched to a
halt outside the offices of Surma in Bethnal Green, on Tuesday
afternoon. They barged into the office and angrily demanded to see
reporters.
Without warning, they then attacked the staff,
shouting: “You shouldn’t have put my sister’s name in the paper.” By
the time police arrived, they had fled.
Five staff received cuts and bruises, but no one was seriously hurt.
A
spokesman for Surma said: “It was like something out of a film. They
blocked the road outside with their cars and came into the offices
kicking and punching people. We carry a lot of stories that could
offend people, but if they have complaints they should just talk to us,
not use violence.”
Within hours, hundreds of people, including MP
George Galloway and Tower Hamlets council leader Michael Keith visited
or called as a gesture of support. A Met spokeswoman said: “We are
keeping an open mind about the attack motive at this stage.”
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