Immigration officers raiding a shop in Shadwell, East London last Wednesday were pelted with eggs and had their vehicles vandalised by a gang of youths.
Three ‘immigration enforcement’ vans and a car had their tyres slashed by the gang, described in a number of news reports as consisting of “Muslims”.
It’s understood that the immigration officers were at the shop to apprehend three suspected Bangladeshi illegal immigrants. When they returned to their official vehicles in the next street, they discovered that the tyres had been slashed and paintwork had been damaged.
Police were called, but not before the officials were attacked with eggs, apparently by youths from a nearby tower block.
Earlier in the week Prime Minister, David Cameron, had called on the Muslim community to do more in the fight against extremism, and ‘support the British way of life.’ We are not sure how relevant the speech is when it comes to the recent events in Shadwell. However, the Daily Mail mentioned the speech in their report about the Shadwell incident.
An eyewitness to the attack, said: “Five or six youths appeared from nowhere heading towards the vehicles that the immigration officers arrived in. They were armed with kitchen knives and began slashing the tyres and damaging the paintwork. The attack was so quick.”
The eyewitness added: “It looked like they were some of the local Muslims all wearing hoodies and pulling this stunt as a prank, but this is no laughing matter. This kind of behaviour will create problems in the local community now.”
Residents of Shadwell who witnessed the commotion claim that the vans had to be towed because a local garage refused to offer any assistance; an accusation denied by the garage in question.
Shadwell community leaders condemned the attack. However, a flurry of social media posts showed a significant wave of support for the gang’s actions. Nur Choudhury posted on Facebook: “Immigration Enforcement officers in Shadwell. Tyres slashed, valves taken and cars scratched. Local garage refused them help, then they were egged from the local tower block, a few hit them on their heads. Welcome to Shadwell?”
Jenny Hussain, who posted a video link of the damaged vehicles on Facebook, posted: “LOL [laughs-out-loud]. I heard about this. They were trying to get some wheels, but everyone said no to them.”
A local shopkeeper said to the Mail on Sunday: “The cops deserve it. They are always up and down this street giving us hassle.”
An employee at Bigland Tyres, which is directly opposite where the events occurred, denied claims that they refused to help the immigration officers. He said: “We tried to offer assistance, but the fact is we didn’t have the right size tyres to fit their vehicles. We would have given them air, but it was pointless because the tyres were cut to pieces.”
A spokesperson for Scotland Yard said: “No one has yet been arrested, but inquiries are ongoing.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “This kind of abuse or criminal damage will not be tolerated. Such offences will be reported to police.”
