15yr old Army Cadet attacked selling poppies in Manchester, England.

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**angelofvengeance**

From Manchester Evening news. Some real scum out there.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/army-cadet-blasted-face-makeshift-8035451

An Army Cadet suffered burns to his face after being blasted with a makeshift blowtorch as he returned home from selling poppies for Remembrance Day.

The 15-year-old, who was wearing his camouflaged uniform, was waiting at a bus stop next to Manchester Art Gallery, opposite George Street in Manchester, when a man approached him with an aerosol can and a lighter.

The attacker used the items to make a makeshift blowtorch and sprayed lit fumes at the Cadet, who had spent the day in the city centre selling poppies and collecting money to commemorate Armistice Day.

UPDATE: Manchester MP 'appalled and disgusted' by DIY blowtorch attack on Army Cadet selling poppies in city centre

UPDATE: Royal British Legion condemns 'flamethrower' attack on teen selling poppies in Manchester

The teenager, who had been looking down Princess Street at the time of the unprovoked attack, suffered minor reddening to his face and singed hairs on his face and right forearm.

The offender, who walked off without saying a word, is described as being black or Asian, 5ft 8in and wearing a dark hooded top. He appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and was staggering, police said.

Detectives are ‘keeping an open mind’ about the motive of the attack, which happened yesterday at 6pm.

They have appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

Det Insp Liam Boden said: “This is an absolutely appalling attack on a young man who was raising money to help remember all those who gave their lives fighting bravely for their country.

“At this stage of our inquiries, we’re keeping an open mind as to what motivated the offender to commit such an act.

“Given the initial description we have of the offender, it may be that he was under the influence of something but whatever his motivation, his violent actions could have scarred this young man for life.

“Although he has suffered some minor injuries, it is pure luck that he did not sustain more serious burns to his face and body."

Det Insp Liam Boden added that the Cadet and his family were in ‘total shock’ and could not believe anyone would do such a thing.

He said: “We need to find whomever is responsible for this crime and I would therefore appeal to anyone who has information that could help.

“This happened at a very busy time in the city centre, near a main bus route, and there could be lots of people who saw this man staggering around.“If you do have information then please come forward.”

**Ahtman**

The title makes it sound like this was a targeted attack against a serviceman but the article makes it sound like a random attack by an insane person.

**angelofvengeance**

I guess.

**Medium of Death**

Random in the sense that it was a black/asain guy attacking a uniformed cadet. Probably Muslim.

Manchester will have lots of CCTV presumeably, like most big British cities, I assume this guy won't be free for long.

**Daemonhammer**

"The offender, who walked off without saying a word, is described as being black or Asian, 5ft 8in and wearing a dark hooded top."

Hmm i wonder which major world religion he belongs to.

**Ahtman**

I just realized there is no source to go along with the wall of text. Where did this story come from?

Edit: Found it on the BBC, but the title is "Poppy seller burned in aerosol attack in Manchester.

I also meant to ask what a 15 year old cadet is. In the US you can't join the military that young, and I seems unlikely there as well. Is it like JROTC?

**Aesop the God Awful**

Ahtman wrote:
The title makes it sound like this was a targeted attack against a serviceman but the article makes it sound like a random attack by an insane person.

I thought the title made it sound like a 15 year old army cadet being attacked for selling opium.

**angelofvengeance**

Ahtman wrote:
I just realized there is no source to go along with the wall of text. Where did this story come from?

Whoops- forgot to add the link. Edited the OP to include that.

**timetowaste85**

Yeah, the whole "attacker was black or Asian" thing is a bit odd...it's really not THAT difficult to tell the two races apart. Something is being kept back.

Hope the kid is okay. Not just from the physical part, but the emotional "omg, it could have been so much worse" and dwelling on the scars and damage he could have faced for a lifetime.

**Aesop the God Awful**

timetowaste85 wrote:
Yeah, the whole "attacker was black or Asian" thing is a bit odd...it's really not THAT difficult to tell the two races apart. Something is being kept back.

It can be difficult, especially if the person is hooded and shooting fire. Telling a Sudanese person and a Japanese person apart, sure, but there are some very dark skinned Asian people.

**Azza007**

Here is the link to the army cadet website. We also have police, RAF and navy cadets, along with others.

https://armycadets.com

**reds8n**

Ahtman wrote:

I also meant to ask what a 15 year old cadet is. In the US you can't join the military that young, and I seems unlikely there as well. Is it like JROTC?

Yes.

https://armycadets.com/about-us/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Cadet_Force

**LuciusAR**

It’s understandable that people are doing to assume that this is politically motivated or due to radical Islam and whilst I don’t discount the possibility it’s dangerous to make assumptions.

As a teenager (mid 90's) I was in the ATC (RAF Cadets) and even then attacks on Cadets in uniform was a big thing. There was a headline story at the time about one young Air Cadet kicked to death by a group of chavs. It wasn’t anything political, just a group of lowlifes who took umbrage at a young lad in uniform. We were advised to be carefully and travel home from meeting in pairs.

A couple of times I received abuse (though never physical violence) from tracksuited types when on my way home and still wearing uniform. I think it just really winds up lazy underachievers to see someone else of the same age committed to something. It highlights their own sense of worthlessness so they lash out. It’s the same mentality that leads kids to bully clever children in school those who actually want to learn as opposed to skive off.

**Dreadwinter**

Daemonhammer wrote:
"The offender, who walked off without saying a word, is described as being black or Asian, 5ft 8in and wearing a dark hooded top."

Hmm i wonder which major world religion he belongs to.

Is young adult a religion? Because a dark hooded top sure sounds like a Hoodie to me.

Let's jump to racist conclusions! Woooo!

**Medium of Death**

Suspecting that he is Muslim is hardly racist. Radical Muslims have burned the poppy in this country before and generally have a disrepect for the armed forces that tends towards violence. If the shoe fits.

**Dreadwinter**

Medium of Death wrote:
Suspecting that he is Muslim is hardly racist. Radical Muslims have burned the poppy in this country before and generally have a disrepect for the armed forces that tends towards violence. If the shoe fits.

**Ahtman**

Medium of Death wrote:
Suspecting that he is Muslim is hardly racist.

No, but automatically assuming that if someone is Asian or Black then they must be a Muslim is.

Medium of Death wrote:
If the shoe fits.

Except we don't know if the shoe fits. All that is known is that there is a shoe of some sort.

**daedalus**

reds8n wrote:
Ahtman wrote:

I also meant to ask what a 15 year old cadet is. In the US you can't join the military that young, and I seems unlikely there as well. Is it like JROTC?

Yes.

https://armycadets.com/about-us/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Cadet_Force

We have something kind of similar to that. One of my friends was in it in high school:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Air_Patrol

**Gogsnik**

I'm sure there was talk of some Cadet getting injured by a home made pipe bomb when I was an Army Cadet and they would often tell us to be safe when out in uniform although, the uniform was supposed to only be worn travelling to or from parade... That does more-or-less seem to have been the case here, with the lad returning home from selling poppies so I guess they were right to warn us.

I hope the kid is alright and that they catch this lunatic quickly.

**Medium of Death**

Considering we've had Radical Muslims burn poppies & abuse returning servicemen i'm not just pulling the "Muslim card" out of thin air.

It's hardly like I think all other religions are wonderful, it just seems likely that this will turn out to be the particular religion and source of motivation.

**Ahtman**

Medium of Death wrote:
Considering we've had Radical Muslims burn poppies & abuse returning servicemen i'm not just pulling the "Muslim card" out of thin air.

The fact that there is no evidence that this has to do Muslims or poppies at this point kind of says you are: putting the cart before the horse and all that. Lets see what the police uncover before jumping to conclusions.

I'm somewhat surprised at the amount of stories about Cadets being targeted though. Had friends in JROTC and a little brother who did it and I don't recall any of them being harassed for it. Many of them didn't end up going into the military or ROTC, but that is a different story.

**Medium of Death**

Re being surprised at the Cadet attacks: There's no short amount of White Christian (from all denominations!) scumbags (neds/chavs) in this country, they never fail to disappoint. If the perpetrator hadn't been thought to be Black/Asain I'd have just expected one of their ilk. The deodarant/lighter thing is definitely a ned/chav thing to do, most commonly done by teenagers. The cans don't explode in their hands nearly enough as i'd like.

**Jihadin**

Next thing you know uniforms will not be worn in the general populace

Edit
Spelling

**MrDwhitey**

Or clothing, as people with clothing get attacked a lot.

**Ensis Ferrae**

MrDwhitey wrote:
Or clothing, as people with clothing get attacked a lot.

I've seen some alarming statistics involving water as well... Did you know that 100% of all serial killers drank water??

**Jihadin**

Ensis Ferrae wrote:
MrDwhitey wrote:
Or clothing, as people with clothing get attacked a lot.

I've seen some alarming statistics involving water as well... Did you know that 100% of all serial killers drank water??

or been rain on

**Bromsy**

Dreadwinter wrote:
Daemonhammer wrote:
"The offender, who walked off without saying a word, is described as being black or Asian, 5ft 8in and wearing a dark hooded top."

Hmm i wonder which major world religion he belongs to.

Is young adult a religion? Because a dark hooded top sure sounds like a Hoodie to me.

Let's jump to racist conclusions! Woooo!

I know 'you're a racist' is the goto thing to say to shut someone else down... but can you maybe try a little harder?

**Dreadwinter**

Bromsy wrote:
Dreadwinter wrote:
Daemonhammer wrote:
"The offender, who walked off without saying a word, is described as being black or Asian, 5ft 8in and wearing a dark hooded top."

Hmm i wonder which major world religion he belongs to.

Is young adult a religion? Because a dark hooded top sure sounds like a Hoodie to me.

Let's jump to racist conclusions! Woooo!

I know 'you're a racist' is the goto thing to say to shut someone else down... but can you maybe try a little harder?

Try harder? The guy softball pitched a clearly racist response and I bunted it out of the park.

**Bromsy**

Dreadwinter wrote:
Bromsy wrote:
Dreadwinter wrote:
Daemonhammer wrote:
"The offender, who walked off without saying a word, is described as being black or Asian, 5ft 8in and wearing a dark hooded top."

Hmm i wonder which major world religion he belongs to.

Is young adult a religion? Because a dark hooded top sure sounds like a Hoodie to me.

Let's jump to racist conclusions! Woooo!

I know 'you're a racist' is the goto thing to say to shut someone else down... but can you maybe try a little harder?

Try harder? The guy softball pitched a clearly racist response and I bunted it out of the park.

I begin to suspect you don't actually know what racist means.

**Ahtman**

Bromsy wrote:
I begin to suspect you don't actually know what racist means.

So someone automatically equates a person of color with being a radical muslim and that isn't racist, but calling out automatically equating the two is the real problem? I'm wondering if the questionable knowledge isn't quite where you think it is.