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Investigations opened into vigilante murder of man mistaken for paedophile
IPCC and Bristol council review dealings with Bijan Ebrahimi, burned to death by neighbours after photographing vandals
...
Bijan Ebrahimi, 44, had taken a series of photographs of local youths attacking his hanging baskets and intended to hand the images to police as evidence.
But someone saw him with the camera and told police that Ebrahimi, who was registered disabled and couldn't work, had taken pictures of children.
...
He was quizzed at a police station but officers soon realised he was blameless and released him. By then rumours had begun circulating in the Brislington area that he was a child abuser and two days later he was murdered.
A neighbour, Lee James, 24, beat Ebrahim unconscious and then with the help of his friend Stephen Norley, also 24, dragged him into the street. He was doused with white spirits and set on fire.
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/oct/29/vigilante-murder-paedophile-bristol-bijan-ebrahimi
...
Bijan Ebrahimi, 44, had taken a series of photographs of local youths attacking his hanging baskets and intended to hand the images to police as evidence.
But someone saw him with the camera and told police that Ebrahimi, who was registered disabled and couldn't work, had taken pictures of children.
...
He was quizzed at a police station but officers soon realised he was blameless and released him. By then rumours had begun circulating in the Brislington area that he was a child abuser and two days later he was murdered.
A neighbour, Lee James, 24, beat Ebrahim unconscious and then with the help of his friend Stephen Norley, also 24, dragged him into the street. He was doused with white spirits and set on fire.
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/oct/29/vigilante-murder-paedophile-bristol-bijan-ebrahimi
I think calling it a 'vigilante' murder is too generous. I also can't help wondering if his ethnicity (Iranian) helped the mob mentality that encouraged the murderers:
AN angry mob of up to 20 people continually harassed Bijan Ebrahimi in the days leading up to his horrific death.
As false rumours circulated and escalated that he was a paedophile, it was not just murderer Lee James and accomplice Stephen Norley who turned on the 44-year-old, the Bristol Post can reveal.
...
Residents have spoken of the "anger" and "hostility" that was in the air of Capgrave Crescent in Brislington on Thursday, July 11, when innocent Mr Ebrahimi was arrested by Avon and Somerset police on suspicion of breaching the peace following complaints that he had been taking pictures of children in the area. Accusations were flying around from numerous people who lived near the disabled Iranian and more than one person was calling him a paedophile.
...
Several men came from nearby streets with the intention of "dealing" with the allegations by threatening him, but refrained.
http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Angry-mob-targeted-murdered-Bristol-man-wrongly/story-19997157-detail/story.html
As false rumours circulated and escalated that he was a paedophile, it was not just murderer Lee James and accomplice Stephen Norley who turned on the 44-year-old, the Bristol Post can reveal.
...
Residents have spoken of the "anger" and "hostility" that was in the air of Capgrave Crescent in Brislington on Thursday, July 11, when innocent Mr Ebrahimi was arrested by Avon and Somerset police on suspicion of breaching the peace following complaints that he had been taking pictures of children in the area. Accusations were flying around from numerous people who lived near the disabled Iranian and more than one person was calling him a paedophile.
...
Several men came from nearby streets with the intention of "dealing" with the allegations by threatening him, but refrained.
http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Angry-mob-targeted-murdered-Bristol-man-wrongly/story-19997157-detail/story.html
