Indian shops, restaurants in UK’s Wembley vandalised in targeted attacks | India News

LONDON: Gangs of suspected Somali men terrorized Indian-origin shopkeepers and restaurant owners in Wembley and trashed their shops in a late-night targeted attack. It follows last week’s attack in Harlow, where a gang attacked Holy revelers. Shopkeepers at Wembley think it could be the same group.Bob Blackman MP raised the issue of the Harrow attack in Parliament on Monday, saying: “Hooligans from Central Mosque attacked the annual Holi celebrations in Harrow, attempting to attack more than 1,000 peaceful worshippers. 20 attackers, one arrested… The Met has questions to answer.”The Manek Chowk Indian restaurant on Ealing Road, Wembley, was attacked twice last week — on March 5 and March 7. The videos showed the miscreants, mostly in robes and all with face coverings, descending on the restaurant and destroying it. Another showed tables and chairs overturned, containing food and crockery.A local PIO store owner who witnessed the vandalism said: “It started last Wednesday at Traders Wembley. Three people from Daman and Diu were beaten and bled in the toilet. It was a Somali gang of young boys. Then, they targeted Manek Chowk. It was a group of 15 to 20 people. It was a group of 15 to 20 people who came from the mosque area and they attacked 20 people. The youths live Alighted and joined them and started vandalizing the restaurant. They didn’t talk to anyone. They just kept throwing tables and chairs. They attacked the hill and broke the lights. An Indian man who tried to intervene was hit with a bottle. It tends to happen after 8pm and is totally unpleasant.Another video, shot on March 6, showed a group of masked men dragging boxes of fruit and vegetables out of Panesar Food and Wine on Harrow Road, Wembley, and trampling them to the ground. “They destroy places, video and go. It looks like they are paid,” said one local.Both times, when the police showed up, the gang got away after causing thousands of pounds worth of destruction.On Monday night, a man of Gujarati origin was stabbed in Ealing Road and rushed to A&E. A Brent Council spokesman said: “Any violent or targeted intimidation towards local businesses is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in Brent. We encourage anyone with information or footage to come forward to the police without delay.”