Surrey village stabbing declared a terrorism incident
Man, 50, arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and racially-aggravated public order offence
The stabbing of a 19-year-old man in a Surrey village is being investigating as a suspected far-right-inspired attack, counterterrorism police have announced.
The teenager was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries after being attacked by a man armed with a baseball bat and knife who shouted racist abuse. A 50-year-old local was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and a racially-aggravated public order offence following the incident in Stanwell, near Heathrow Airport, reports Metro.
Surrey Police were called to a residential street in the village just before 10.30pm on Saturday following reports of an armed man acting aggressively. Another caller then reported that someone had been stabbed.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Armed police who rushed to the street also found several vehicles damaged, reports the BBC. The suspect was arrested at the scene and remains in custody.
Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, head of Counter Terrorism Policing, said the attack had “hallmarks of a terror event, inspired by the far-right, and therefore it has been declared a terrorism incident”.
Local resident Vincent Sutherland, 54, told reporters: “He was shouting ‘kill a Muslim’ and ‘white supremacy’, and then I went inside and I heard a load of banging.”
Neighbour Nemer Salem, 24, added that he had passed the attacker, who was “walking in the middle of the road swinging a shiny weapon”.
“I turned around and ran down the next road, hid in an alley, waited for the coast to be clear and ran,” added Salem, originally from Syria. “He had something covering his mouth and nose and his hood up, so I could only see his eyes and his forehead. It was very scary.”
Counter Terrorism Policing South East are urging the public to “remain vigilant and report anything suspicious to police”.
Following the attack, Theresa May tweeted her thanks to the emergency services and said her thoughts were with the injured man and his family and friends. She added: “Vile, hateful far-right extremism has no place in our society.”
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
5 ladylike cartoons about women's role in the election
Cartoons Artists take on the political gender gap, Lady Liberty, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The right to die: what can we learn from other countries?
The Explainer A look at the world's assisted dying laws as MPs debate Kim Leadbeater's proposed bill
By The Week Published
-
Volkswagen on the ropes: a crisis of its own making
Talking Point The EV revolution has 'left VW in the proverbial dust'
By The Week UK Published
-
DOJ charges 2 in white nationalist 'Terrorgram' plot
Feds say Dallas Humber and Matthew Allison were plotting assassinations through a terrorist network on Telegram
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
A bus stop tragedy and China's anti-Japanese rhetoric
Talking Point Suzhou attack described as the product of 'decades of hate education'
By The Week UK Published
-
The new powers to stop stalking in the UK
The Explainer Updated guidance could help protect more victims, but public is losing trust in police and battered criminal justice system
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Warriors' vs 'guardians': the pitfalls of police recruit training in the US
IN DEPTH American police training fails to keep pace with the increasingly complex realities that today's officers face
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
What is the new definition of extremism?
Today's Big Question Michael Gove on a mission to 'push for more stringent measures to tackle extremism in the UK'
By The Week UK Published
-
The Red Army Faction: German fugitive arrested after decades on run
Why Everyone's Talking About Police reward and TV appeal leads to capture of Daniela Klette, now 65
By The Week UK Published
-
Derek Chauvin, killer of George Floyd, reportedly stabbed in prison
Speed Read Chauvin was convicted of Floyd's murder in 2021
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Nicola Bulley: police under fire for releasing personal information
Speed Read Disclosure was 'avoidable and unnecessary' and led to 'breakdown of public confidence', College of Policing finds
By The Week UK Published