Men beaten for speaking Portuguese in Bristol

Two men were savagely beaten and robbed by a gang of up to 20 thugs in Bristol – for speaking Portuguese.

Friends Shane Braga, 28, and Marcio Toso, 30, were kicked and punched to floor in a frenzied, late-night attack in Crow Lane, Henbury.

The pair – who said police later told them the area was a "no-go zone" – had a laptop and keys for two cars stolen during the incident in the early hours of Sunday.

As they walked from Mr Braga's flat towards Mr Toso's car, they were approached by a group of four girls.

They were asked what language they were speaking and within seconds a large group emerged from out of the darkness.

Mr Braga, who blacked out in the attack, was left with chipped teeth, a black eye and a swollen and badly bruised head.

Mr Toso, who lives in Southmead, needed 10 stitches in his forehead and was left with a broken nose.

Mr Braga, who grew up in America and is awaiting news of his application to become a UK resident, told the Post: "I was walking Marcio to his car and the next thing I know I'm being punched in the back of the head.

"The beating must have continued for more than 10 minutes, but I blacked out so it could have been longer.

"It got to the point where I gave up trying to fend them off. They were screaming abuse at me.

"All I remember saying is: 'What is wrong with you people?'.

"If this attack had happened in Brazil and two English men had been beaten, it would have been all over the news.

"In the UK, all the police can say is: 'Crow Lane? The area is full of no-hopers and it's a no-go zone.'

"I'm now frightened to leave my own house.

"The police have left it up to me to contact the media to get help to catch our attackers. It's ridiculous.

"I'm now waiting for my and my wife's cars to be stolen, as they have the keys for both vehicles."

He added: "Marcio doesn't speak very good English, that's why we were chatting in Portuguese."

The gang only stopped beating Mr Braga when a passing driver sounded her horn.

Mr Toso, who has dual Brazilian and Italian citizenship but has lived in the UK for the past year, also managed to break free to get help.

Speaking in broken English, he said: "They took my laptop computer but luckily I managed to get away. I ran back to Shane's flat to get his flatmates, but not before they hit and kicked me."

Officers are checking CCTV cameras in the area to see if they captured the incident.

Avon and Somerset police said they were not currently treating the incident as a racially motivated attack and refused to accept that the area was a no-go zone.

The attack on Mr Braga and Mr Toso is the latest in a series of incidents to plague the Crow Lane area.

In January a 15-year-old girl was dragged into bushes at the side of the road at knifepoint and attacked as she walked to nearby Henbury School. She managed to escape with minor injuries to her neck, after struggling free from her male attacker.

In October last year evening bus services had to be temporarily diverted away from Crow Lane after a series of attacks by yobs throwing stones and fireworks. The attacks came just two weeks after Home Secretary Jacqui Smith visited the area to be told its problems with crime and anti-social behaviour were being effectively tackled.

Last June a woman with learning difficulties was left traumatised after being dragged to the ground by a mugger on a bike who grabbed her handbag as he cycled past. The robber was later jailed for 21 months.

In 2005 a newsagent suffered head injuries after catching a shoplifter who then attacked him with an iron bar.

A number of measures to tackle yobs has also been put in place. A new CCTV system monitored by the city council's emergency control room was installed around the shops in January last year.

And the Co-op store in Crow Lane began piping classical music out of its doors in 2004 in an attempt to stop troublemakers hanging around outside.

A force spokeswoman said: "There have been no other significant reports of trouble in the area.

"Both victims were treated by paramedics at the scene and taken to Frenchay Hospital.

"They were assaulted by a mixed group of men and women.

"We are appealing for witnesses who saw the attack to contact police."

Anyone with information should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or ring police on 0845 456 7000.