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Sri Lankan restaurant in UK attacked by suspected Tamil youth
View(s):A gang armed with bats and metal bars smashed up the exterior of a Sri Lankan restaurant in London, while terrified customers were dining inside, a British news report said. A mob of up to 20 people attacked Yaal Cafe at 9 pm on Sunday, in Foleshill Road, Coventry, as patrons were enjoying a meal.
They spent about five minutes smashing the windows of the Sri Lankan restaurant, showering diners and food with glass.
Owner Shirantha Fernando took on the restaurant a year ago and since then, he has faced opposition from a group of Tamils from Sri Lanka.
Mr Fernando, who is Sinhalese, suspects this attack is either linked to one of those groups, or possibly, a customer who was dining inside at the time. “It was terrifying,” he said. “I had two tables of customers dining here at the time. “I was working at the back of the restaurant when I heard this big bang. I went into the restaurant and there were so many people outside I couldn’t see out of the windows.
“There must have been 20 people there. They had bats and metal pipes and they just started smashing the windows. They didn’t come inside, they just stood outside smashing the windows.” “It was very scary. I just grabbed my staff and customers and got them somewhere safe.”
Police said a 30-year-old customer suffered a minor eye injury. The damage is estimated at £ 2,000 and Mr Fernando (44), expects the restaurant to be closed for two days for repairs. Mr Fernando says that Yaal Cafe is Coventry’s only Sri Lankan restaurant. He believes that some members of the Tamil community in Coventry do not like the fact that he is cooking Tamil food.
After he opened Yaal Café, some members of the Tamil community came to the restaurant and demanded he remove his signs. Mr Fernando says he only recognised two of the men who launched the most recent attack. “The fear now is that they might come back and do it again,” he said.
Coventry Police have launched an investigation into the attack.