Hate Crime: Victims of Indian and Sri Lankan origin were asked about their ethnicity before being violently assaulted; families allege racial and religious motive
Three young British Hindu men were reportedly subjected to a brutal and unprovoked attack in Harrow Recreation Ground, North London, after being questioned about their ethnicity. The assault, which occurred on May 30, left two of the victims unconscious with facial fractures, while all three sustained injuries serious enough to require hospital treatment, reported timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
The victims, aged 20 and 21, had gone to the park to play cricket and briefly stopped at a local shop near a café where a group — believed to be a Muslim family — was seated. One man allegedly accused them of staring at his relatives. Despite the young men’s denial and efforts to defuse the situation, the tension escalated.
Roughly 30 minutes later, three men from the group approached the victims again, reportedly asked, “Where are you from? Are you Sri Lankan? Are you Indian?” and then launched a violent assault. The sister of the 20-year-old British Indian victim told TOI that the attackers beat the men relentlessly, rendering two unconscious. One of the attackers was seen wearing a Moroccan football jersey with the name “Hakimi” and number 2.
Victims say they were targeted for being Indian and Sri Lankan Hindus; no arrests made, families criticise police response
The victims were taken or made their way to Northwick Park Hospital. Two suffered facial fractures, while all sustained visible bruises and trauma. One of the victims, a university student pursuing radiography, had to halt his clinical placement due to the physical and emotional aftermath of the attack.
“He’s never been in a fight before and now feels anxious and ashamed to leave the house,” his sister said, adding that he was wearing a sacred Hindu thread at the time of the assault.
Tory MP Bob Blackman raised the incident in the House of Commons, calling it a clear case of “religious hatred”.
However, the Metropolitan Police have said there is currently no evidence the attack was racially motivated. “Our enquiries continue. No arrests have been made,” a spokesperson told TOI, while confirming that one person was taken to hospital with a head injury.
The victim’s family has expressed frustration with the police response, citing the lack of CCTV review even two weeks after the incident.
As investigations continue, the case has sparked concerns about the safety of British Hindus and the handling of racially charged attacks in the UK.
