The father of a girl who was attacked by a group of young individuals in Bristol, United Kingdom, said the incident left his daughter so traumatized that she has been unable to attend school and that the store she tried to seek help from refused to help. Over the weekend, a crowd of parents arrived to protest the store after staff refused to help the teen when she was being chased by the mob.
The attack, which was described by Avon Somerset Police as “sickening,” is believed to have been connected to a “school wars” social media trend. The incident occurred on March 4, and five teenagers have since been arrested and released on bail.
The girl’s father told the BBC that his daughter feels “let down” as passersby did nothing to help her. After the incident took place, mothers and parents were seen at the Zara location protesting the actions of the store.
"She was seen walking around Cabot with, you know, 25 people following her," the father said. "For 25 minutes, they were following her...Nobody wanted to help. Nobody wanted to say, are you safe?"
"I have three or four days off at home because we would encourage her to just speak, speak a bit, which she hasn't," he added. "I had a couple of days where I've gone to work and sat in my van. I couldn't even work, I couldn't get out.”
The girl was first approached at a bus stop, where the group prevented her from boarding a bus. She then ran into a nearby Zara store seeking help. After failing to receive assistance inside, she went back outside and was attacked. Since the attack, the store has gotten backlash for not helping the girl.
The father said the situation eventually ended when a group of students took the girl into their flat and helped her.
Following the incident, a group of mothers gathered outside the Zara store to protest. A spokesperson for the company said their thoughts are with the victim.
The attack, which was described by Avon Somerset Police as “sickening,” is believed to have been connected to a “school wars” social media trend. The incident occurred on March 4, and five teenagers have since been arrested and released on bail.
The girl’s father told the BBC that his daughter feels “let down” as passersby did nothing to help her. After the incident took place, mothers and parents were seen at the Zara location protesting the actions of the store.
"She was seen walking around Cabot with, you know, 25 people following her," the father said. "For 25 minutes, they were following her...Nobody wanted to help. Nobody wanted to say, are you safe?"
"I have three or four days off at home because we would encourage her to just speak, speak a bit, which she hasn't," he added. "I had a couple of days where I've gone to work and sat in my van. I couldn't even work, I couldn't get out.”
The girl was first approached at a bus stop, where the group prevented her from boarding a bus. She then ran into a nearby Zara store seeking help. After failing to receive assistance inside, she went back outside and was attacked. Since the attack, the store has gotten backlash for not helping the girl.
The father said the situation eventually ended when a group of students took the girl into their flat and helped her.
Following the incident, a group of mothers gathered outside the Zara store to protest. A spokesperson for the company said their thoughts are with the victim.
