Update: The Singapore High Commission in London said it is “deeply disturbed” by the attack.
A Singaporean man said he was the victim of a violent and racist attack in London and is appealing for witnesses who could corroborate his story.
Jonathan Mok wrote online that he was walking along Oxford Street last week when he was punched in the face multiple times by a group of youths, leaving his face bruised, fractured possibly requiring “reconstructive surgery.”
“I don’t want your coronavirus in my country,” he alleges one of them said during the attack in a Monday night Facebook post that has been shared more than 10,000 times.
Mok thanked in the post a woman he said contacted the police and provided them video she took of the assault.
That video was unavailable and Mok’s story could not be independently verified. He provided no evidence of the attack with his post.
The Straits Times reported today that someone with London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed that a “racially aggravated assault” had taken place Feb. 24 at the same location and time Mok described.
In Mok’s post, which included photos purportedly of his face after the attack, he appealed for evidence that could aid the police in “identifying the perpetrators.”
Mok said he was walking along London’s busy street at around 9:15pm local time and passed a a group of four young men. He said he stopped and turned to face them after hearing one of them saying something inaudible that included the word “coronavirus.”
“I was stunned and turned around to have a look at the man made the statement. He was still staring at me as he walked past and realised I was looking at him. He shouted ‘Don’t you dare look at me, you ____’ (I could not catch the last word because of the accent),” Mok wrote. “Within 3 seconds, he was in my face, together with 3/4 other young men, and a young lady (all of whom seemed no older than 20 years old, but were all more than a head taller than me).”
After two blows, Mok said another assailant landed a third punch on his face, causing it to bleed as passers-by tried to stop them.
The same assailant had tried to kick him, Mok said, before telling him: “I don’t want your coronavirus in my country.”
The group then fled the scene before police arrived, Mok said, after which he went to the hospital.
According to the post, Mok said he had been studying in London for two years.
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