Muslim man assaulted in London post-New Zealand terror attack

London [UK], Mar 16 (ANI): A Muslim man here was beaten with a hammer and a batten outside a mosque in east London on Friday, hours after 49 people were killed in the terror attack on two mosques in New Zealand.
The assaulters shouted abusive words with Islamophobic content as they drove past the mosque and called people attending Friday prayers as terrorists, Al Jazeera reported citing sources. 
In a video filmed by eyewitnesses, one of the attackers climbed out of a blue car and attacked a worshipper with a hammer. The 27-year-old victim suffered head injuries.
When others started chasing, the attacker was seen clinging to the car's bonnet in an attempt to get away.
Following the attack at Christchurch in New Zealand, British police have beefed up security around mosques.
In a statement issued, London's Mayor Sadiq Khan said the city stands with the people of Christchurch in the face of this horrific terror attack.
"London will always celebrate the diversity that some seek to destroy ... I want to reassure the Muslim communities in London," Khan said.
"I have been in touch with the Met Police. There will be highly visible policing around mosques today, as well as armed response officers, as Londoners go to pray," he added.
In another incident, security at mosques in New York and other cities across the United States has also been beefed up.
Law enforcement officials and political leaders condemned the terror attacks and assured the Muslim community that they would be protected while they continue to practice their faith freely, The New York Times reported.
(ANI)