Two arrested in spate of acid attacks in London
LONDON • Five linked acid attacks in quick succession by youths on mopeds in London left several people injured, British police said Friday.
They are the latest in a spate of assaults with corrosive l i quids t hat have alarmed residents and politicians.
London’s police chief, Cressida Dick, said officers were concerned by the increase in the “completely barbaric” attacks.
“The acid can cause horrendous injuries; the ones last night involved a series of robberies we believe are linked — I am glad to see we have arrested somebody,” she said.
The Metropolitan Police force said two teenagers were arrested in connection with the 90- minute rampage which began late Thursday. Two men on a moped tossed a noxious substance into the face of a 32- year- old moped driver, then jumped on his vehicle and drove away.
One witness saw police dousing the victim with large bottles of water.
Sarah Cobbold, 29, said: “I had thought someone must have chucked petrol or acid on him or something because they were covering him in water, but I have never seen that reaction to an attack, I thought maybe there had been an accident.”
The pattern was repeated across a swath of east London. All the victims were attacked while riding mopeds. At least one, a man in his 20s, was left with lifechanging injuries, police said.
A 15- year- old boy and a 16- year- old boy were arrested on suspicion of robbery and grievous bodily harm.
One was detained near the scene of an attack, the other at an address in east London on Friday.
London police say the number of reported attacks with corrosive liquids rose from 261 in 2015 to 454 in 2016. Some appear related to gang activity or the theft of cars and motorbikes.
The latest assaults come after several other high-profile attacks, including one in which a man was accused of throwing acid at an aspiring model and her cousin as they sat in their car. A 25-year-old man has been charged in that case.
In April, acid was sprayed at a crowded east London club night, leaving two revellers partially blinded and others disfigured. A man has been charged and is awaiting trial.
The spike in attacks has prompted some lawmakers to call for restrictions on the sale and carrying of corrosive liquids such as sulphuric acid.
Former government minister Stephen Timms said carrying acid should be made an offence and suggested licensing the purchase of sulphuric acid as he urged a change in sentencing guidelines.
Dick said, “We will arrest people, we will enforce the law as we can, and we are working very closely with the ( government) to try to see if there is any changes in the law required.”