A man was rushed to hospital from the exclusive Knightsbridge neighbourhood of London Monday evening after he was the target of an apparent acid attack.
The unidentified 47-year-old is reported to have been the victim of an attempted robbery close to luxury department store Harrods, when men riding a moped threw a liquid into the face of the man. London’s Evening Standard reports the man was not seriously injured in the attack, but that the men on the moped used acid in an attempt to steal the victim’s “expensive watch”.
There have been no arrests, and officers are appealing for witnesses.
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.”
This latest attack is just one of hundreds that have taken place in London in the past 12 months, and comes just weeks after an 84-minute acid-attack spree, in which five people had “noxious liquid” sprayed in their faces. At least one victim suffered “life changing injuries” in July as two men riding mopeds attacked food delivery riders across London, stealing their bikes after disabling the owners with acid.
Breitbart London reported at the time as two teens were arrested after the attacks, with a 16-year-old charged with 15 offences relating to the attacks including three counts of robbery; four counts of attempted robbery; one count of possession of an item to discharge a noxious substance; five counts of attempted GBH with intent; one count of GBH with intent and one count of handling stolen goods.
London police are changing the way they respond to the attacks, with 1,000 so-called acid response kits placed in fast-response police cars. Consisting of protective equipment and a five-litre bottle of water, London’s Fire Brigade is also being called in to douse acid attack victims with high quantities of water as quickly as possible — the best way to neutralise the flesh-destroying substances before being taken to a hospital.
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