The brother of a Kurdish Iranian attacked in Croydon has told how his younger sibling was unable to recognise him during a hospital visit.
Reker Ahmed, 17, remains in an induced coma in hospital after suffering a fractured spine, fractured eye socket and bleeding to the brain after being attacked at a bus stop at 11.40pm on Friday.
The Metropolitan Police believes more than 30 people may have been involved in the attack, which members of the Kurdish community said has left them worried and shocked.
The victim’s brother Hadi Ahmed has described the condition he found Reker in during a visit to London’s King’s College Hospital on Tuesday.
“When I saw him the first time he was like ‘Are you my brother?’ and I said ‘What do you mean?... yeah I’m your brother what are you talking about?’,” the 23-year-old said of the hospital visit.
“It was like that, just shocked. I was just hugging him saying, ‘You’re my brother’.
“I didn’t recognise him as well when the first time I see him ... he didn’t have any affection. He didn’t want to hug me.”
He added: “It was horrible. I started crying.
“It’s really bad, I feel really gutted and disappointed about the situation that happened.”
Reker was set upon while he was with two others on Shrublands Avenue.
Neighbours later described how punches and kicks rained down on the teenager.
Police have so far arrested 16 people in connection with the incident, on suspicion of offences including attempted murder and violent disorder.
A total of 13 people have been charged in connection with the suspected hate attack, including a 15-year-old boy.
Detectives are also trying to trace the driver and the occupants of a white hatchback with a black roof that stopped at the scene.
Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell, Chief Superintendent Jeff Boothe, the borough commander, and council chief executive Jo Negrini will visit the scene on Wednesday morning to send a message of support to the community.