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A police forensic tent at the scene yesterday (Thursday) |
Police fear rise in tensions after Algerian stabbing
Violent incidents are ‘relentless’ say cops
POLICE are concerned that rising tension within Finsbury Park’s Algerian community is leading to vicious turf war.
On Wednesday night a man was stabbed in the groin in Blackstock Road and was last night (Thursday) still recovering in hospital.
It follows an assault outside a café the previous week where another man had a bottle smashed over his head and was then battered with an iron bar.
Now a respected Algerian councillor is appealing for calm and hopes the community can put the attacks behind them and “move forward”.
Both victims are Algerian and the tensions are centering around cafes and restaurants around Blackstock Road and the junction with Rock Street.
Labour Councillor Mouna Hamitouche believes the fights are a feud between established Algerian immigrants and more recent arrivals following a bitter civil war in the north African country.
Councillor Hamitouche, a respected figure in the Algerian community, said: “I was shocked and saddened by these events as this does not reflect our hard-working and tight community. I would call on everybody to be this behind us and move forward.”
A police source said: “It’s relentless at the moment with the number of attacks we’re hearing about.
“There’s a lot of tension around here and worries that the whole thing could really blow up any day.”
Two police forensic tents were erected for most of yesterday (Thursday) as officers combed the scene for clues.
The stab victim lost “a hell of a lot” of blood, said one officer, while the bottle victim last week is reportedly being uncooperative with the police.
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