Owen Jones has said he was beaten up in a “blatant premeditated assault” as he celebrated his birthday, suffering injuries to his head and back
In a post on Twitter, the journalist said he was with friends when they were attacked as they left a pub in the early hours of Saturday morning.
He wrote: “Six of us left the pub at 3am and were saying our goodbyes 30 metres away, then a group of 3-4 men left the pub, made a beeline for me, kicked me in the back, threw me on the ground, slamming my head, and kicked me in the skull.
“My friends were punched trying to defend me.”
Jones added: “Given the far right attacks I’ve had in the streets, and generally escalating far right threats I’ve had, I’m in no doubt as to what this is.”
In January, Jones was subjected to homophobic abuse as he spoke at an anti-austerity demonstration.
The Guardian columnist re-tweeted a video which showed several people shouting “homo” towards him during the event in central London.
Jones added that he was branded a “rent boy” by other activists, who appeared to be mounting a counter-demo to the “Britain is Broken” event, partly organised by the People’s Assembly group.
Jones said that in addition to the verbal abuse, those involved attempted to punch and spit at him.
“So, after speaking at today’s [People’s Assembly] rally, I was mobbed by fascists trying to swing punches and who spat down my neck (I know right, yuck, fascist spit!),” he wrote on Twitter.
In a statement emailed to HuffPost UK, the Met Police, said: [A man in his thirties] was attacked by up to four males who also assaulted his friends when they attempted to intervene.
None of those injured required hospital treatment or London ambulance service.
“No arrests have been made.”