West Midlands Police are investigating a shocking assault on a Muslim pensioner as he walked from the Kings Heath mosque last night (March 29).
The 73-year-old pensioner was set upon after three men exited a black vehicle parked on York Road at around 11 pm, one of whom kicked him from behind with enough force to hit his head on a display board.
The three men soon left the scene.
After requiring hospitalization, West Midlands Police confirmed that the pensioner suffered a broken hand and facial cuts.
Sgt Chris Gallon of Moseley and Kings Heath police said: “This was an appalling attack on a member of the public who was heading home.
“We’ll be taking a full statement from the victim, who remains in hospital today, and we’ve already got officers in the area this morning recovering CCTV and carrying out house-to-house enquiries; we are working hard to identify the attackers and the car that they were in.”
Tell MAMA continues to liaise with officers, who confirmed to us that reassurance patrols will increase, with a statement adding that the motive as of writing is unclear, but stressed, “there is nothing to suggest any connection at all to the recent attack on a man who was walking home from a mosque in Edgbaston.”
We are liaising with West Midlands Police further and urge anyone with information to get in touch with the police via 101, quoting log 5182 of March 29.
We are horrified by this violence towards another Muslim pensioner and condemn it in the strongest terms. https://t.co/6sXhTRXp5P
— Tell MAMA UK (@TellMamaUK) March 30, 2023
As protocol, Tell MAMA urges Muslim communities to keep our safety advice on hand, especially when going to and from mosques for prayers, especially at night.
Some of our personal safety advice includes tips like:
Be alert to your surroundings
Stick to public routes you know are well-lit and busy
Avoid shortcuts through unlit areas. If it feels unsafe, find a more public route, especially at night
Plan your journey to and from the mosque (masjid) and try to stick to it
Try to leave the mosque (masjid) with friends and relatives where possible
Let a family member or friend know about your travel plans
If you use public transport, make a note of departure times and your nearest bus stops
If you are worried, carry a personal alarm and use it when needed
Local MP Jess Phillips tweeted, “Utterly shocking attack. Please let police know if you have any information”. Cllr Izzy Knowles, who represents the Moseley ward, tweeted: “Very upset to hear of this awful unprovoked attack in Kings Heath. If you have any information, no matter how small please contact @WMPolice, @MoseleyHeathWMP, or @CrimestoppersUK or @TellMamaUK”.
Police describe the attackers as two white men and one Black man, aged between 18 and 30, who all wore tracksuits.
Anyone with information can call 101, quoting log 5182 of 29 March, or using the West Midlands Police Live Chat function. Tell MAMA can pass information to the police on your behalf or with your informed consent.