UK police arrest white teenager over racial attack...

UK police arrest white teenager over racial attack on Zimbabwean boy

Zim Now Writer

Police in the United Kingdom have arrested a white teenager for racially assaulting a Zimbabwean boy, who was hit and forced to kiss the white boy’s shoes.

The incident was captured on video and has since gone viral on social media, leading to the arrest of the teenager.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page on Saturday, the Cumbria Police confirmed the arrest of the white teenager on report of a hate incident, while urging the public and social media users to stop circulation of the pictures or video as it may hinder with proceedings and violate the laws that protect children from identification in such cases.

“We can confirm officers have arrested a teenage boy in relation to a report of a hate incident involving a boy being assaulted in Carlisle.

“Officers are aware of images relating to this incident being circulated online and concerns in the community over the incident.

“As an arrest has been made, we would urge people not to share the video further so as not to impede any legal proceedings or to identify any of the children involved.”

Zimbabwean journalist, Chofamba Sithole, who sounded alarm over the issue, has implored Zimbabwean authorities to act on the matter while identifying the victim as a Zimbabwean from his hometown in Mutare.

“The young boy who was racially assaulted in the videos that have gone viral on social media is Zimbabwean, from my hometown, Mutare.

“He only arrived in the UK last December and you can imagine how traumatised he must be to experience such vile treatment. Having grown up in a country where he would not have experienced racism of any sort, the depth of the trauma he has suffered from this dehumanisation is unimaginable,” Chofamba wrote on X.

“These are seriously disturbing developments, and these incidents aren’t random happenings, they’re quite common in Britain, and they need to be confronted. Our government needs to stand up for its people wherever they are, and it would reassure the very significant community of Zimbabweans in the UK to hear from the Zimbabwean Embassy and know that they’re engaged with this issue,” Sithole said.