This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Police have launched an investigation into a suspected far right-inspired terror attack after a teenager was stabbed and a 50-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

The suspect was detained by Surrey police in Stanwell, near Heathrow airport, after reports were received on Saturday night that a man had been stabbed and the alleged attacker was wielding a knife and baseball bat and apparently shouting racist comments.

The 19-year-old victim sustained non-life threatening injuries and was taken to hospital, where he remains.

The attack was one of a number of suspected far-right incidents reported over the weekend across England, including messages posted on social media and graffiti in support of the New Zealand mosque shootings. It is not known whether the stabbing in Stanwell was inspired by the attack in Christchurch, which claimed 50 lives.

The Metropolitan police assistant commissioner, Neil Basu, who is the head of counter-terrorism policing, said: “Whilst this investigation is still in its infancy, it has hallmarks of a terror event, inspired by the far right, and therefore it has been declared a terrorism incident.”

He added: “Police are committed to tackling all forms of toxic extremist ideology, which has the potential to threaten public safety and security.”

Surrey police responded to the incident and then referred it to detectives in counter-terrorism policing. The decision that it should be treated as a terrorist incident was made by commander Dean Haydon, senior national co-ordinator for counter terrorism.

The prime minister tweeted:

Theresa May (@theresa_may) My thanks to the emergency services for their handling of the terrorist incident in Stanwell. My thoughts are with the injured man, and his family and friends. Vile, hateful far-right extremism has no place in our society.

The home secretary, Sajid Javid, said in a statement: “We must stand together as a society and reject the terrorists and extremists who seek to divide us. Now’s the moment for us all to challenge the hatred, ignorance and violence they peddle and stand up for the kind of country we are and want to be.”

He added: “I’m determined that every individual and community should feel safe to live their lives. To any communities who are feeling vulnerable and under threat I say we are with you. You benefit our country, you are part of our country, part of us.”

Counter terrorism officials have warned for months about a growing threat of far right violence in the UK.

In a separate incident at the weekend, two people were arrested in Rochdale after a taxi driver was allegedly threatened by members of the public who referred to the New Zealand mosque attacks.

A man, 33, and woman, 34, were arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated public order offences after the incident in the early hours of Sunday, Greater Manchester police (GMP) said.

Officers attended the scene in Queensway shortly before 12.20am in response to “a report of a taxi driver being abused and threatened by members of the public who were referencing the terrorist attacks in New Zealand”, the force added.

Separately, a 38-year-old woman from Rochdale was arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence after posting comments online about the mass shootings.

They are to be interviewed by detectives on Sunday.

These arrests follow that of a man from Oldham on Saturday for allegedly posting comments on social media supporting the killings.

The 24-year-old was arrested on suspicion of sending malicious communications on Saturday afternoon, GMP said.

Fifty people were killed in the shootings at two mosques in New Zealand on Friday.

The man suspected of carrying out and livestreaming the attacks, Brenton Tarrant, 28, appeared in court in Christchurch on Saturday charged with one count of murder and was remanded until 5 April. Police said further charges were expected to follow.

GMP’s temporary assistant chief constable, Russ Jackson, said: “The events which happened two days ago in New Zealand continue to cause huge upset with people of all faiths from across Greater Manchester.

“Over the weekend we have had, however, a small number of incidents where people have either posted or made remarks referencing the horrible events in New Zealand, particularly online where people often think it is acceptable to abuse others.

“People are entitled to free speech and this is always respected, however, where this crosses the boundary into criminal offences, let me be really clear, we will make arrests and if the evidence is there we will seek the prosecution of those involved.”

The alleged Christchurch mosque gunman sent a “manifesto” to the office of the New Zealand prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, minutes before the terrorist attack, she has said.

Her office was among more than 30 New Zealand parliamentary email addresses that received the document on Friday. The document did not include a location or details about the attack.