Two shopkeepers last night told how they were beaten by a racist gang of 20 thugs armed with crowbars and a kitchen knife.
Cornershop managers Nadeem and Mudassar Akbar were walking from their store to the adjoining car park when the pack of youths pounced.
Police confirmed last night they are treating the attack as a race hate crime.
CCTV footage shows the attackers swarm into the car park moments before the sustained assault, which the brothers believe was premeditated.
The thugs shouted “P*** b*******” and “Why did you come to this country?” as they surrounded the pair.
Nadeem was struck over the head with a crowbar, leaving a bloody wound, while Mudassar was repeatedly punched in the face.
Only the intervention of a passer-by, who was going into the store, halted the violence. The security camera video shows the cowardly youths scatter after being interrupted.
The siblings, who have lived in Scotland for about 20 years after leaving Pakistan, believe they could have been fatally injured in the shocking incident.
They said the gang had been gathering outside their shop for the last two months, mouthing racist abuse, vandalising their cars and terrorising customers.
The pair were working at the Hay Convenience Store in Edinburgh’s Niddrie when the attack took place at about 6.55pm on Thursday.
Mudassar, 38, said: “I was going out for something to eat. My brother came with me as I went to my car to make sure I was OK. We’re scared to go alone.
“This gang were already waiting for us, like it was planned, and started shouting racist language. Two or three had crowbars and one had a really big kitchen knife.”
Nadeem, 49, said: “I was hit on the head with a crowbar. The attack went on for a couple of minutes.
“Luckily a big local guy who comes to the shop passed by and he shouted at them to stop and they ran away.
“My head was bleeding very heavily. I had to be taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and spent three hours in hospital. They glued my head wound. I feel we were lucky. With the knife, we easily could’ve been stabbed.”
The brothers, who have run other shops in Edinburgh, have operated the Niddrie business for five months.
Mudassar added: “This group have been hanging around the shop, making trouble. It’s mostly local boys, but some girls, aged 14 to 16.
“We’ve phoned the police nearly every day about them. We have a post office here and some of the pensioners who use it are scared to come in.
“It’s been two months of racist abuse, shoplifting, intimidating customers, coming into the shop and throwing things around.
“The racist language is ‘P*** b******’, ‘Go back to your own country’,‘We’re going to kill you and burn down your shop’.
“We’ve had some great support from our customers, ,though, and we won’t let these people drive us out.”
Police Scotland said: “Officers are treating the incident as a hate crime and inquiries are ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call police, quoting reference number 3092 for January 23.”
