Two teenagers, aged 15 and 16, have been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and robbery following a series of five acid attacks in east London on Thursday night. The attacks, which occurred within a 90-minute window, left one victim with 'life-changing' injuries, according to the Metropolitan Police.
The incidents, believed to be linked, involved two male suspects on a moped who approached victims and doused them with a corrosive liquid. The attacks took place between 10.25pm and 11.37pm across locations including Hackney Road, Upper Street, Shoreditch High Street, Cazenove Road, and Chatsworth Road. In two of the attacks, the victims' mopeds were stolen.
Met Commissioner Cressida Dick condemned the attacks as 'completely barbaric' in a radio interview. Chief Inspector Ben Clark confirmed that not all victims were delivery drivers, but all were riding mopeds at the time. One victim, 32-year-old delivery driver Jabed Hussain, was attacked on Hackney Road; witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with fellow drivers rushing to help.
Delivery drivers in the area expressed fear, with one saying he now keeps his helmet visor closed to protect his eyes. The arrests come as police continue their investigation into the spate of attacks.
