Saudi Embassy Issues London Travel Warning to Citizens over Acid Attacks

The rising tide of savage acid attacks that have been described as a “life sentence” for victims has taken on a global aspect after the Saudi Arabian embassy in London issued a stark warning to would-be travellers over the danger of being targeted in the British capital.

Published via twitter underneath an Arabic-language hashtag reading “Important Warning”, the tweet warns Saudi citizens that there is an increasing number of “assaults” with acid and corrosive liquids in London, and that attacks have been reported close to popular tourist attractions.

Warning against the actions of professional thieves using acid, the message also instructed Saudis in London to exercise caution in the city.

The number of acid attacks in London has been rising steeply for years, with police figures showing a 75 per cent jump from 2015 to 2016, and this year has already seen hundreds of assaults with corrosive liquid.

The Saudi warning comes just days after a high-profile acid attack in Kensington, near the upscale department store Harrods, a favourite shopping destination for many Saudi tourists visiting the British capital. Breitbart London reported Tuesday after a 47-year-old man had a liquid sprayed into his face as two men on a moped attempted to steal his “expensive watch”.

A police spokesman said of the attack: “Officers from Kensington & Chelsea Borough are investigating, and at this early stage it is believed the liquid was thrown at the victim during an attempted robbery.”

While the Harrods attack targeted an for a luxury watch, many acid attacks recorded in London have been acted out against moped riders, in attempts to steal the motorcycles from underneath them. Breitbart London reported in July after five acid attacks against moped riders were recorded in 84 minutes across East and North London.

At least one victim is said to have suffered “life changing injuries”. All of the attacks are believed to have been perpetrated by the same pair of bike thieves, who have now been arrested.

Authorities have expressed concern over the rising number of acid attacks and London police have received training in how to treat the burns quickly, in the hope of preventing the worst of the possible damage.

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