'Completely barbaric' Police boss hits out at horror spate of acid attacks
THE HEAD of the Metropolitan Police has hit out over the horror spate of acid attacks in London branding the violence "completely barbaric".
Met police chief vows to battle 'barbaric' acid attacks
Cressida Dick, head of Scotland Yard, condemned the attacks last night in which five people had acid thrown at them in the space of just 90 minutes across east London.
Shocking footage shows a shirtless man being doused with water by police, believed to be in Hackney.
Officers are seen asking the man where it hurts and telling him to keep his eyes open as they pour water over them.
Cressida Dick condemned the savage acid attacks
Ms Dick told LBC today: "The acid can cause horrendous injuries; the ones last night involved a series of robberies we believe are linked.
"I am glad to see we have arrested somebody."
She added: “We will arrest people, we will enforce the law as we can, and we are working very closely with the [Government] to try to see if there is any changes in the law required.”
Theresa May has hinted at the introduction of new legislation to combat the spate of acid attacks.
Police were called to five different locations
Victim of east London acid attack is cared for by police
Asked about the assaults, the Prime Minister’s spokeswoman said Mrs May viewed the acid attack as “horrific”.
She added: “It is already an offence to carry acid or a corrosive substance with intent to cause harm.
"And anyone using it can be prosecuted for pretty serious offences including ABH and GBH.
”We are working with the police to see what more we could do."
Shocking footage show a shirtless man being doused with water by police
All the attacks were carried out in east London within an hour and a half between 10.25pm and 11.49pm last night.
The victims were all taken to hospital, with at least one man, in his mid-20s, suffering from life-changing injuries.
A 16-year-old youth is being held at an east London police station after being arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and robbery.
On Friday afternoon, police revealed they made a second arrest in the morning in Stoke Newington - a 15-year-old boy on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and robbery.