Oldhamers demand answers after police 'too slow' to act to brutal gang attack

Locals in the Westwood area claim it was the community that inspired the police to act.

The disturbing assault, which saw a young man repeatedly kicked, punched and pinned down while his attackers stood on his neck and head, before stripping him naked in an almost five-minute-long ordeal, took place in the alleyway near Tesco on Featherstall Road North on June 21.

The victim can be heard saying "I am dead" and "let me die" in the harrowing footage.

Although the victim is now recovering from the vicious attack out of hospital, residents are questioning why it took Greater Manchester Police over a week to make arrests.

At an emergency community meet-up on Sunday (July 3), locals were visibly upset as they demanded answers from police officers and councillors who were in attendance.

Some feel as though the borough has been abandoned and let down by police, while others feel that there is a lack of youth support to prevent gang violence from ripping through Oldham's younger generation.

One frustrated member of the public said: "This meeting is not just about what's gone on - it's about what we're going to do for the future.

"We need to prevent this from happening, so what do we do? As Council, as police, as a community, to prevent that from happening?

"How do we get our kids active in community events, in youth and school teachings and all that, and parents' responsibility at the same time so there's a lot of questions."

The man said he felt as though police were dodging the bigger picture by focusing on just this one incident. 

Meanwhile, another man, who only identified himself as Hush, told The Oldham Times that the community were compelled to meet to "make a noise and raise awareness about the police".

He added: "It has been two weeks since the incident took place and nothing much has happened.

"The victim is psychologically traumatised.

"Kids are doing this in every community but we need to nip it in the bud so that something like this doesn't ever take place again".

But others were concerned that it took an uproar from the community to spur the police into action in the first place.

A member of the public wanted to know why it took the police over a week to make an arrest.

A second video emerged online over the weekend which appeared to show angry locals kicking down doors and shouting in the streets outside the alleged culprits' houses. 

GMP confirmed the reaction was in retaliation to the video of the assault and that they were able to gain information which led to the arrests of three suspects over the weekend.

One member of the public at the meet-up said: "It was only when the video went viral that the police did something. Before that, nothing.

"The excuse was that they couldn't understand the kid, they couldn't understand the interview, they couldn't understand this or that.

"If that was a kid at the tram stop, the whole of Oldham would be upside down by now by police.

"Why has it taken so long to arrest somebody? That's what we want to know.

"These kids have been wreaking havoc all week", he added.

Another local resident called Sam Jashin agreed that the police only took action once the community took matters into their own hands.

Ms Jashin said: "It took the community to find them boys.

"They held his neck like George Floyd was held.

"As a British citizen, this is not British values."

She added that she is growing increasingly concerned about her own safety and for "the future of the children in this town".

Inspector Alan Sanders from GMP Oldham was there to call for calm at the meet-up.

Friend, Farhana Ahmed, also said she was scared for her 14-year-old son in light of the incident and general gang violence in the borough.

Ms Ahmed added: "The local councillors of Oldham are all talk and no action - they want to brush this under the carpet like it has been for the last few weeks since the incident happened.

"Action needs to be taken and we as a community need to know what is happening".

The hundreds that gathered on Sunday all came to demand justice for the victim but also to show him that he has the support of Oldham.

The victim, who has no family in the country, came to the UK just seven months ago on a Student Visa, Oldham community activist Nanu Miah told the crowd.

Inspector Alan Sanders from GMP Oldham apologised for the police's perceived slow approach to the incident.

He said: "I know emotions are high and that you feel people have been slow on the uptake with this.

"I apologise.

"We know things now, following the events of yesterday, that we didn't know on the 21st which has changed the urgency and risk.

"We've quite rightly stepped up our investigation.

"We have already made three arrests in relation to this incident and we know there are other people involved.

"I can't update you anymore in relation to that as the investigation is ongoing".

GMP has been approached for comment.