Hackney ‘acid attack’: Two men in their 20s rushed to hospital with burns after corrosive substance hurled in the street
TWO men have been rushed to hospital suffering from burns in the latest suspected acid attack in East London. Witnesses said a car was run off the road and into a brick wall after being chased by another just before a corrosive substance was hurled at the men. It is understood the Met Police were […]
TWO men have been rushed to hospital suffering from burns in the latest suspected acid attack in East London.
Witnesses said a car was run off the road and into a brick wall after being chased by another just before a corrosive substance was hurled at the men.
It is understood the Met Police were initially called to Downs Road and then Cricketfield Road, in Hackney at 7.20pm.
A spokesman for the Met Police told The Sun Online: “Police were called at 19:21hrs on Friday, 21 June to reports of a corrosive substance attack at Cricketfield Road, E5.
“Officers and London Ambulance Service attended. At the scene two males, aged 20s, were found suffering from substance burns.
“Both injured males were taken to east London hospitals.
“Their condition has been assessed as non-life threatening.”
No arrests have been made so far and police are continuing their investigation.
ACID ATTACKS
The UK has one of the highest rates of acid attacks per capita in the world, according to Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI).
It claims the country does not have “tight controls on acid sales” or “legislation specific to acid attacks”.
ASTI’s figures, quoting the police, reveal the number of recorded attacks has increased nearly three-fold from 228 recorded crimes in 2012 to 601 attacks in 2016.
Gang disputes are said to be behind the rise in acid attacks in London and other British cities.
London has emerged as a hot spot for acid attacks in recent years, with more than half of incidents within the UK taking place in the capital.
The number of cases more than doubled from less than 200 in 2014 to 431 in 2016, with Scotland Yard focusing on specific parts of the city.
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In January this year two men were attacked with acid during a brawl near King’s Cross station.
Cops were called to the scene in the early afternoon following reports of an “altercation” between two groups of men.
But when officers arrived the men had fled the scene and two of them were later found with facial injuries.
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