O/T Has it really come to this ?

[kloon]

DISABLED MAN BEATEN FOR FLYING ENGLISH FLAG

A

North-east man claimed last night he was dragged from his car and

beaten on the face for having an England flag on his vehicle.

Ian Smith, from

Culter, was sitting in his car on Anderson Road, Hilton, waiting to

pick up a friend's child from school when he was attacked by a muscular

man in his mid-40s.

Mr Smith, who is registered disabled, was

left with a badly-bruised right eye and double vision as a result of

the unprovoked assault at about 3pm yesterday.

The 41-year-old,

who was wearing an England shirt at the time, said: "He just came up to

the car and started giving me a load of abuse about supporting England.

"I

told him there was no need for all this bigotry because it's only

football but he grabbed the flag, snapped it in half and then pulled me

out of the car and threw me to the ground."

Mr Smith, who had to

give up his job as a postman after injuring his back and leg, said the

two of them rolled over on the pavement until his attacker was on top

of him.

"We were struggling but he managed to break his arm free and punched me in the face.

"He

tried to kick and punch me a few more times but they just deflected off

and weren't too bad. I was lying still on the ground and he just picked

up his shopping bags and waltzed off down the road."

Mr Smith said he had been left stunned by the ferocity of the attack.

"I

know there is no love lost between England and Scotland but it's not as

if Scotland are even represented in the World Cup this time," he said.

"I

wasn't bothering anybody. The flag is only about 6in and it's not as if

I was going about cheering England on or shouting anything abusive - it

was totally unprovoked."

Mr Smith, who moved to the Granite City

12 years ago from Peterborough, said: "I've lived in Aberdeen for years

but this is the first time I've ever suffered a physical racist attack.

"I could almost understand a bit of abuse if it was coming from children but this was a grown man."

Inspector

Ian Swann, of Grampian Police, said: "We are investigating the racist

element as part of a full inquiry into the incident."

However,

he stressed that the investigation was in its early stages and it was

one of a number of lines of inquiry being looked at.

The

attacker is described as about 5ft 6in, of muscular build with

medium-length dark hair. He was wearing a black or dark brown

donkey-type jacket and was last seen walking west on Clifton Road.

I'd be the first to admit I don't like to see England win, but jeezus

christ, dragging a man from his car and beating him up because he's

wearing an England shirt ? [*-)]

[david_taylor]

I think the people responsible for these attacks just need an excuse, and probably attack almost anybody.  The problem just now is I think the press are raging that the English fans are behaving themselves over in Germany and they have paper space they need filled.

All the tabloids seem to be putting there main stories at the moment around english people being beaten by Scottish thugs!  I am refusing to buy these papers at the moment as they are labelling all Scots as thugs while this is a complete minority.  I think in my experience abroad the locals always said the Scots were the nicest and most hospitipal around.

The Egyptians loved all the Scots at the hotel we stayed at recently!

Purely paper talk blowing a few disgraceful incidents way out of proportion I think!  Oh, and apparently its all Jack McConnells fault for not supporting England!  Honestly!

[st3ph3n]

It's shocking. The guy's picture is on the BBC and he's taken a fair smack to the eye.

Whoever did this should be ejected into the north sea never to return again.

Good natured banter is all well and good, but this is a million times over what's acceptable.

[the squiggle]

Agreed its gone a bit far when a 7yo boy gets thumped for wearing an England top

The newsreporter stated that there had been no provocation in relation to the attack on the cabbie from Edinburgh.  Sorry but i reckon wearing an England top and flying a flag from his car roof will count as provocation is some peoples eyes.

[ANDYJDMSTI]

beating up a guy with a g1mp is a little out of order!!

You get nuggets all over the place and i am sure it would be the same if the shoe was on the other foot i.e Scotland in the Cup and England not.

[Bat-Fink]

**** sake![:@]

[RA Dunk]

SEEMS TO BE MAKING QUITE ALOT OF HEADLINES JUST NOW ALL OF THIS KIND OF

THING EVERY OTHER DAY THERES SOMETHING IN WITH A TOPIC LIKE THIS ,

SEEMS THE NEDS ARE OUT IN FORCE JUST NOW THATS THE TROUBLE WITH SUMMER

TIME THERES MORE NEDS ON THE GO DUE TO WARMER WEATHER KIND OF LIKE

FLIES IN THERE OWN WAY REALLY

bloody caps [:@]