Patriotic flag raisers hit with 'petrol bomb' in Stevenage tell GB News their attacker 'tried to kill all of them'

The member of the group, known as Louis, was left with a huge gash on his head and his hands covered in blood. He was attended to by paramedics at the scene following the attack.

**ARE YOU READING THIS ON OUR APP? DOWNLOAD NOW FOR THE BEST GB NEWS EXPERIENCE**

Recounting the incident, one patriot told GB News: "We were flagging for about three hours in Stevenage, raising the Union Jack and the St George's flag.

"At the end of the evening, we were about to get back in our cars when a petrol bomb had then flown over to us out of somewhere, we're not sure exactly where.

"It's hit one of the boys in the head, and then we've all jumped in a car and the other ones come flying over. We've just zoomed off, and that was it, pretty much the end of the evening."

Providing an update on Louis's injury, the member revealed: "He's alright now, he's gone away for a little while to see his family.

"He's not too bad, the injury wasn't the worst, it could have been a lot more severe, seeing obviously what had happened.

"But when I was administering the first aid, there was a laceration on top of his head, about an inch long.

"Not too deep, but deep enough with quite a little bit of blood coming out, due to the location of the injury. But I think he came off quite well compared to what could have happened."

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

• Patriotic flag raisers attacked with 'petrol bombs' after hanging St George's crosses in community but they say 'it won't stop us'
• ‘English have had enough!’ Historian lashes out at critics as St George’s flags line British streets
• Watch as residents proudly fly St George's flags across town: 'This is about patriotism!'

Asked by Patrick how the attack has impacted the group, one member said it is a "real shame" that the incident happened, as the patriots were on "such a high" when raising the flags in the area.

He explained: "It was a real shame because it was such a high. Throughout the evening, with the support of everybody going past bibbing, even the local police said, 'we're not going to stop you doing what you're doing'.

"And it was just a real good atmosphere, we was on a real high, we had such good support. We had one local resident stop and give us some cash and say 'buy some more flags, keep going'.

"We was all on such a high, we'd literally just said well done to each other, we put up 40 odd flags and said, right, catch you all soon, went to get in the vehicles and then it just erupted from there. It was just such an anti-climax."

Remaining defiant in their cause despite the attack, the group told GB News that they put up "another 60 flags" since the attack and don't plan on stopping in their campaign.

He concluded: "It won't stop us, we were out again last night and put another 60 plus flags up, and we're just going to carry on. We love our country, we love our heritage.

"We're proud of our ancestors for fighting to keep us to be able to celebrate our country, and we love our freedom of speech."

In a statement, Stevenage Chief Inspector Sarach Gilbertson said: "Officers attended and spoke with the victim, a man in his 30s, who had suffered a laceration to his head. He was taken to Lister Hospital in Stevenage for treatment.

"It appears that the victim was struck by a glass bottle containing a lit rag and sustained a cut to his head.

"I know that this incident will concern people living locally, but I would like to reassure the community that this was a contained incident.

"Our investigation continues, and anyone with information is asked to get in touch with police."