A Christian minister has been brutally attacked in London by three men who ripped off his cross, stole his Bible and threatened to break his legs.
The case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police who are treating it as a “faith hate” assault. They are hunting three Asian men.
The Reverend Noble Samuel, who presents a Christian television show, said he had clashed with Muslims phoning in during the weeks leading up to the attack.
Revd Samuel was driving to the studio when a car pulled up in front of him and a man approached him to ask directions in Urdu.
The Minister of Heston United Reformed Church, West London, said: “He put his hand into my window, which was half open, and grabbed my hair and opened the door.
“He started slapping my face and punching my neck. He was trying to smash my head on the steering wheel.
“Then he grabbed my cross and pulled it off and it fell on the floor. He was swearing. The other two men came from the car and took my laptop and Bible.”
Revd Samuel, who was educated by Christian missionaries in Pakistan and moved to the UK 15 years ago, said he, his wife Louisa, and his son Naveed, 19, now fear for their safety.
The police have now given the family panic alarms and Revd Samuel says he is “frightened and depressed”.
Despite the attack Revd Samuel went ahead with the hour-long live Asian Gospel show on the Venus satellite channel.
During the broadcast the head of the station, Tahir Ali, who is a Muslim, went live on air to condemn the attacks.
Revd Samuel said his show is not confrontational but over the past few weeks he has been receiving phone-in calls from Muslims challenging his views.
“They were having an argument with me”, he said. “They were very aggressive in saying they did not agree with me. I said those are your views and these are my views”.