Teen activist Thomas Moffitt, known as Young Bob, was assaulted and robbed during a public immigration debate stand on Manchester’s Market Street on Monday afternoon. The incident, which involved a group of men attacking him and stealing or damaging his camera equipment, highlights growing tensions around immigration activism in the city. Paramedics treated Moffitt at the scene before he sought hospital attention.
Attack Details Revealed
Moffitt was running his stand near a bubble tea shop when a gang approached, dragged him to the ground, and subjected him to punches and kicks. He briefly lost consciousness and suffered bruises and cuts to his face, neck, and back. Footage shared online shows the assault and a second attempted attack as Moffitt tried to recover his belongings.
Stolen Equipment And Police Response
During the attack, several tripods and cameras were stolen or damaged, including a camera battery which exploded. Police arrived roughly five minutes after the assault and recovered some items, but no arrests had been made by the evening. Moffitt retains the memory card from a damaged camera, hoping it may help identify the attackers.
Allegations Against Counter-protesters
Moffitt claims members of the counter-protest group Stand Up to Racism encouraged the assault and recorded the event, alleging police did not intervene with them or seek their footage. These claims remain unverified, and Greater Manchester Police have not publicly commented on the incident.
Activist Attack
The pro-life, Christian activist known for his controversial stance on immigration says this incident was an “eye-opener” prompting him to take self-defence training. He plans to return to Manchester with security for a future “mass deportation” event amid ongoing city-wide tensions over immigration protests and counter-demonstrations.
