Three men targeted in London acid attack weren’t gay club customers, venue says
Three men were attacked in Dalston, East London, in a vicious acid attack on Sunday morning.
However, despite initial reports that the men, aged 17, 22 and 27, were targeted because they were revellers at the popular gay club Dalston Superstore, the venue has denied the victims were patrons.
“The three men had not visited our venue, and the attack happened long after we had closed,” the venue said in a statement on Twitter on Monday.
The men were attacked in Dalston in the early hours of Sunday morning.
They were then attacked by two men who started “punching at people walking either side of the road,” a witness told Evening Standard.
An alcoholic drinks can, discarded by late night drinkers. (Cardy/Getty)
“One man was being kicked as he lay on the floor,” the witness told the newspaper.
“The people were terrified, they weren’t fighting back.”
The men then grabbed some water bottles from a car and started spraying them.
“My first thought was, ‘Why are they squirting water?’ But then I realised it was acid,” the witness said.
“People were screaming in pain and running. I heard one person shouting he couldn’t see and saying, ‘It’s in my eyes.’”
The men may have “potentially lasting injuries,” according to police.
“This is a particularly vicious and unpleasant incident which has left a number of people with potentially lasting injuries,” said Detective Sergeant Quinn Cutler.
“It is possible that more people were injured during this altercation and that footage of the incident may have been captured on mobile phones.
“I know that a number of people witnessed this incident and I urge those people to come forward and share their information and/or footage with police.”
At this stage, the attack is not being regarded as a hate crime.
Anyone with information is asked to call Hackney CID on 07825 793 215 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
This story has been updated to reflect a statement from Dalston Superstore denying that the men attacked were customers.
