A 33-year-old man is in police custody after two men were racially abused and assaulted with a metal pole.
One victim of the attack was left with a broken jaw, fractured eye socket and internal injuries.
The incident which is being treated as a hate crime took place in Sarah Street in the Lawrence Hill area of Bristol at about 7.35pm on Monday (22 September).
The two victims were initially involved in a crash in which their car collided with a lamppost. They were then racially abused and assaulted by a group of four men who left the area in a white van.
Chief Inspector Serena Serjeant of Avon and Somerset Police said: “This was a truly horrific incident which has left a young man with significant and lasting injuries.
“Not only is there a substantial physical impact, but these two men were also subjected to the most vile – and completely intolerable – racist abuse.
“We’re now working to identify the men involved and would urge anyone who has any information at all to come forward and speak to us.”
Officers have been conducting CCTV and house-to-house enquiries in the area and earlier today arrested a man on suspicion of racially/religiously aggravated grievous bodily harm. He remains in police custody while our investigation continues.
One of the victims sustained significant facial and internal injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment. He has since been discharged to continue his recovery at home and support is in place.
The second victim was also racially abused by the men but fortunately did not sustain any serious injuries.
All four of the suspects are described by police as being white men in their 30s and 40s.
One suspect is about 5ft 7ins tall, with blond or ginger hair and short facial hair. He was wearing a white t-shirt and grey shorts at the time.
Another is about 5ft 11ins tall, of muscular build, blond hair and aged in his 40s. Police said he had a colourful tattoo on his right arm and was wearing a white t-shirt and white or grey trousers.
The other two suspects were also in their 40s, one of large build with light-coloured hair and was wearing a polo shirt, khaki jeans and smart shoes at the time. The other man had short ginger hair.
Police are urging anyone with information to get in contact.
