'Superheroes' attacked at charity event (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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'Captain America' and 'Spiderman' assaulted by mirror pool
9:00am Friday 3rd August 2012 in News By Tanya O'Rourke
Joshua Jeffries on crutches after being attacked whilst dressed while dressed as Captain America
A teenage volunteer dressed as Captain America needed hospital treatment after he was attacked while raising awareness for a charity bike ride in Centenary Square.
Joshua Jeffries, 16, was among a group of young people promoting the event while dressed as superheroes, as part of a scheme run by the volunteering charity CSV Bradford.
He and a friend dressed as Spiderman were assaulted.
Other young volunteers, dressed as Batman, Superman and Iron Man, were nearby, he said.
Joshua Myatt, 16, who was in a Spiderman costume, said he was forced into the water of the Mirror Pool , and when he tried to get back up he was pushed back down.
Joshua Jeffries said his head was then held under water by his Captain America mask before he managed to pull it off. He was taken to hospital after he said he thought an old rugby injury to his leg was aggravated during the assault. He said he hoped he would still be able to take part in the charity bike ride which will go from Bradford to Leeds tomorrow, raising funds for the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund.
He said: “I think this has given me more drive to try to get this out there and do more. It shows that not everybody is going to be on our side but we know there are people that will back us up when we need it.”
Team leader at CSV Bradford Charlotte Smith condemned the attack.
She said: “These young people are trying to do something good for the community and for two people to victimise them for doing so is unjustified.”
Anyone who wants to sponsor the boys for the charity bike ride can visit justgiving.com/joshua-myatt.
* Two men, aged 23 and 19, have been charged with assault in connection with the incident on Wednesday and have been bailed to appear before Bradford and Keighley magistrates.
Comments(46)
a reasonable sort of chap
says...
9:10am Fri 3 Aug 12
shikran
says...
9:23am Fri 3 Aug 12
I hope the lad is okay. With these scumbags roaming the city centre it's no wonder so few people venture in.
dazp
says...
9:30am Fri 3 Aug 12
a reasonable sort of chap wrote:they cant the council havent got a spare 30 million for the project
Replace the mirror pool with stocks and gallows.
Gemzki-Lou
says...
9:53am Fri 3 Aug 12
fotoman
says...
10:07am Fri 3 Aug 12
Pity we can't bring back the birch - that just might make some of these cowardly pieces of pond slime think twice before attacking someone again.
OLDLAD
says...
10:14am Fri 3 Aug 12
Thee Voice of Reason
says...
10:18am Fri 3 Aug 12
This is not the first time and no doubt it won't be the last that volunteers are attacked or abused in Bradford.
Cooperlane2
says...
10:38am Fri 3 Aug 12
Punishment should include doing voluntary work dressed as Cpt America
SRS74
says...
10:54am Fri 3 Aug 12
However, I do agree that Prison is best, but max sentence at Crown Court is 5 years for ABH, while its 6 months if dealt with at Magistrates. My best guess is these two won't see any pokey, due to sentencing guidelines. Thats not a joke.
I am interested to know how Thee voice of reason would deduce that its the police or councils fault for what appears to be a random assault?
Turning a blind eye to illegal activities of any nature??? So people not wearing a seatbelt, or speeding or dropping litter would have a impact on someone being assaulted?
SRS74
says...
10:55am Fri 3 Aug 12
Albion.
says...
10:58am Fri 3 Aug 12
dazp wrote:Some of us would build it for free if allowed.
a reasonable sort of chap wrote:they cant the council havent got a spare 30 million for the project
Replace the mirror pool with stocks and gallows.
angry bradfordian
says...
11:02am Fri 3 Aug 12
Let's hope there a follow up story next week and if there's a guilty verdict the miscreants will be named, shamed & pictured.
Joedavid
says...
11:42am Fri 3 Aug 12
If we do why no Police response to catch those doing the attacking?
Albion.
says...
11:51am Fri 3 Aug 12
Joedavid wrote:Err, It's in the last paragraph.
So do we not have CCTV in this area?
If we do why no Police response to catch those doing the attacking?
allannicho
says...
11:53am Fri 3 Aug 12
Service, that,ll teach em?
shikran
says...
12:21pm Fri 3 Aug 12
2013 - walls put up around city
2014 - Snake Plissken sent in for life imprisonment
room124
says...
12:22pm Fri 3 Aug 12
GC BD4
says...
12:35pm Fri 3 Aug 12
Bacon Bantam
says...
12:48pm Fri 3 Aug 12
GC BD4 wrote:Because they are too busy ticketing cars.
Correct me, but I thought we had a police office adjacent to the Town Hall, surely there would be comings and goings by the police, or were they drinking tea. The Puddle attracts all sorts of dregs to society why don't the council employ wardens for that area. And keep them in that area during daylight hours.
shikran
says...
12:54pm Fri 3 Aug 12
GC BD4 wrote:...because the Council Wardens would go the same way as Captain America - dunked and disabled
Correct me, but I thought we had a police office adjacent to the Town Hall, surely there would be comings and goings by the police, or were they drinking tea. The Puddle attracts all sorts of dregs to society why don't the council employ wardens for that area. And keep them in that area during daylight hours.
badford
says...
1:46pm Fri 3 Aug 12
Albion. wrote:CCtv camera is on a pole just outside the sitting perimeter of lloyds bar it rotates but seems to spend most of the day pointing at lloyds bar as i watched it the other day when i noticed the camera
Joedavid wrote:Err, It's in the last paragraph.
So do we not have CCTV in this area?
If we do why no Police response to catch those doing the attacking?
justjustice
says...
2:23pm Fri 3 Aug 12
But yes this is what the Bradford district is like now, feral youths can run rampant shouting abuse, throwing stones, vandalising and destroying private and public property, even attack decent law-abiding people and the police and courts dont care.
Hand up those of you who wish the law was changed so we could remove these youths from our streets even if we had to drag them by the scruff of their necks!?
The only reason they can do these things is because they know we cannot lift a finger against them. If we could it'd be a completely different story; if they knew the people would gladly punch some sense into them if their parents wont, then they will think twice before opening this mouths and spouting abuse.
shikran
says...
2:33pm Fri 3 Aug 12
justjustice wrote:Who gives a **** if they were black, white or brown. What bearing does it have on anything
The article doesnt say the offenders were asian, and so far no racist comments; can one assume therefore that the offenders where white?
But yes this is what the Bradford district is like now, feral youths can run rampant shouting abuse, throwing stones, vandalising and destroying private and public property, even attack decent law-abiding people and the police and courts dont care.
Hand up those of you who wish the law was changed so we could remove these youths from our streets even if we had to drag them by the scruff of their necks!?
The only reason they can do these things is because they know we cannot lift a finger against them. If we could it'd be a completely different story; if they knew the people would gladly punch some sense into them if their parents wont, then they will think twice before opening this mouths and spouting abuse.
jonathancrewdson
says...
2:59pm Fri 3 Aug 12
It really hit me one day when a group of teenage kids in Skipton town centre were messing around throwing snow balls and one got me. I shouted "oy" at them and expected to get a mouthful of abuse back but they were all very apologetic. After that I started noticing how young people would offer to give up their seats on the bus or train for older people, how there was basically no litter anywhere and how the atmosphere in pubs was so different. Before I left Silsden there was an unfortunate incident when an old woman had a fall in the street and people ran to her from all directions to help.
I ended up moving back to Bradford earlier this year after breaking my leg and needing help from family. Whilst I'll always have a fondness for it being the City I grew up in the difference is stark. I've been walking on crutches for most of the time and I've had kids refuse to give up their seat for me on the bus, people riding on bikes and nearly hitting me (it is illegal to ride a bike on a footpath), people dealing drugs in the streets and litter everywhere. A couple of weeks ago I had a fall and badly bashed my broken leg. I needed help to get back up and called out but five people just walked past me and ignored me!!
I really hope against all odds Bradford improves but it is the people that make the City so they need to change.
Ecowarrior1969
says...
3:10pm Fri 3 Aug 12
Gemzki-Lou wrote:Its all the **** /smack heads who show Bfd up.....Well done these guys for doing something good & showing all teenagers aint bad
seriously?.... my word! young volunteers - doing something for a good cause - and not out causing havoc - yet they get attacked by some trampy rogues?.... i say jail them! you cant just go round attacking people!!..... the 23 yr old should know better - attacking a 16 yr old?.... pathetic! im 23 and wouldnt dream of doing something like that!.... grown the hell up and get a job!!!
Ecowarrior1969
says...
3:11pm Fri 3 Aug 12
OLDLAD wrote:Here here
Perfect time for magistrates to bare their teeth and show morons they cannot get away with things like this. Give them 2 years in jail and ignore clemency pleads from the defence. This is the only way these people will learn. No more community service as this is just a joke!!
Clowny
says...
4:43pm Fri 3 Aug 12
GC BD4 wrote:The city hall police contact point is not open most of the time, it's a token gesture. The council need to have a security budget for the city centre and especially the City Park so they can fund a police or private security presence.
Correct me, but I thought we had a police office adjacent to the Town Hall, surely there would be comings and goings by the police, or were they drinking tea. The Puddle attracts all sorts of dregs to society why don't the council employ wardens for that area. And keep them in that area during daylight hours.
Clowny
says...
4:45pm Fri 3 Aug 12
badford wrote:Yes, there's a few others too, for example one at the side of the large TV screen but like you've noticed they don't rotate and survey areas until after a 999 call is made (bit late then)...
Albion. wrote:CCtv camera is on a pole just outside the sitting perimeter of lloyds bar it rotates but seems to spend most of the day pointing at lloyds bar as i watched it the other day when i noticed the camera
Joedavid wrote:Err, It's in the last paragraph.
So do we not have CCTV in this area?
If we do why no Police response to catch those doing the attacking?
idlelad
says...
4:57pm Fri 3 Aug 12
Yorkshire Lass
says...
5:42pm Fri 3 Aug 12
47years
says...
7:12pm Fri 3 Aug 12
It would be interesting if the T&A could get a comment on the lack of security/ police presence in this area of the City which is clearly dogged with anti social behaviour from some of the the scumbags who inhabit this area. I guess they wont have a comment though.
Perhaps as a society we all need to take responsibility for the feral community that Bradford has become and if we see incidents like these intervene. We need to take back the streets from the scum. If we don't the police wont they are too busy drinking tea and shuffling paper and being paid handsomely for the privilege. They should be subject to performance related pay or maybe even targeted pay, as many of us are. Maybe they would get off their arses then.
Ooooo what a rant. It just make me angry when things like this happen and nothing will be done about it
ollie59
says...
8:03pm Fri 3 Aug 12
Save2020
says...
8:47pm Fri 3 Aug 12
Save2020
says...
8:50pm Fri 3 Aug 12
Save2020
says...
8:52pm Fri 3 Aug 12
Save2020
says...
8:53pm Fri 3 Aug 12
47years
says...
10:21pm Fri 3 Aug 12
thelastmanstanding
says...
10:33pm Fri 3 Aug 12
Here we see two grown men have beaten up and tried to drown a teenage kid who was raising money for charity. The public did nothing.
I am ashamed to call Bradford my place of origin.
redrider
says...
11:46pm Fri 3 Aug 12
can we have some pictures of the attackers so we know where these guys come from.
thelastmanstanding
says...
12:18am Sat 4 Aug 12
jonathancrewdson wrote:I can vouch for that. I moved away in 2001, just after the riots. Things in Bradford were bad back then and everytime i come home it seems things have got worse whilst I have been away.
I grew up in Bradford and lived here until I was 26. I then moved away firstly to Skipton then later near Settle and finally Silsden. I realised soon after just how I'd taken all the assaults, vandalism and littering in Bradford as "normal" in modern society but my eyes were really opened to how abnormal it is.
It really hit me one day when a group of teenage kids in Skipton town centre were messing around throwing snow balls and one got me. I shouted "oy" at them and expected to get a mouthful of abuse back but they were all very apologetic. After that I started noticing how young people would offer to give up their seats on the bus or train for older people, how there was basically no litter anywhere and how the atmosphere in pubs was so different. Before I left Silsden there was an unfortunate incident when an old woman had a fall in the street and people ran to her from all directions to help.
I ended up moving back to Bradford earlier this year after breaking my leg and needing help from family. Whilst I'll always have a fondness for it being the City I grew up in the difference is stark. I've been walking on crutches for most of the time and I've had kids refuse to give up their seat for me on the bus, people riding on bikes and nearly hitting me (it is illegal to ride a bike on a footpath), people dealing drugs in the streets and litter everywhere. A couple of weeks ago I had a fall and badly bashed my broken leg. I needed help to get back up and called out but five people just walked past me and ignored me!!
I really hope against all odds Bradford improves but it is the people that make the City so they need to change.
I used to think that honour killings, Pakistani child-rape gangs, heroin addicts, robberies, women getting raped by taxi drivers on their way home from nightclubs, 3 mosques on one street, litter, rats, riots and assaults were an established part of life in all parts of Britain. It wasn't until I moved away that i realised it wasn't and Bradford is just a horrible city for a white person to live in.
How many years has that hole been in the middle of the city? Is it ten?
Where i live now, it is a rural location that hasn't been "Culturally Enriched" on the same scale as Bradford and it is so much a nicer place to live.
I think Bradford has got just the MP it deserves with George Galloway.
TirNaNog
says...
2:22am Sat 4 Aug 12
Might I suggest they close down the place that attracts this pond-life (NPI) in the first place ,namely Lloyds Bar. As they have no door staff the state they let some of the people in there is incredible. I recall one of their patrons trying to disrupt the City Fire Memorial one year until a very senior Police Officer had to take him away before he got lynched. He was absolutely hammered before 11am and guess who facilitated that? It's a magnet for the functioning alcoholic and wino alike. It's like the 'Thriller' video in there sometimes.Even the regular Joe drinker gets plagued with alcoholic beggars on the terrace. The square needs a higher class of drinking establishment or a more selective entry policy enforcing.
As the excellent Micky Flanagan espouses "If you find yourself in a Wetherspoons on a Monday morning then you've pretty much given up"
Mik_e
says...
11:39am Sat 4 Aug 12
Albion.
says...
11:47am Sat 4 Aug 12
Mik_e wrote:It would probably have been prevented if either had been there.
If there were police rather than their poor substitute Community Support Officers on patrol in the city centre, perhaps this type of nasty crime would be prevented.
i hate bradford
says...
12:29pm Sun 5 Aug 12
I was even more horrified upon looking at the puddle and the people surrounding it as there were naked kids running around in this filthy puddle. How decent people would allow their children to be on public display like this in this day and age is beyond comprehension. There were many dodgy looking people just hanging around watching these naked children - people were even taking photographs!!!
This place is a magnet for low life scum and that is what I saw on this day.
What kind of person would interfere with a charity worker trying to raise money for charity??
I would like to know more about the person who thought it was okay to attack a charity worker while he was out raising funds.
As it is I think we all really know the type already!!
Get well soon lad and don't let the savage bar stuards grind you down. You will always be so much better than they are.
thelastmanstanding
says...
6:45pm Sun 5 Aug 12
Not all Bradford people are bad. This Joshua Jeffries kid gave up his free time and dressed in a silly outfit and stood in the centre of Bradford and the only thing he wanted in return was to know he was helping someone less fortunate than him. People like him are the salt of the earth.
Sadly though in Bradford, people like him are a minority.
citywin10 says...
9:09am Fri 3 Aug 12
Captain America? hmmm?