An 11-year-old Polish boy has been beaten up in Berlin in what local police say was an incident motivated by xenophobia.

The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon in the Neukölln borough of the German capital, where the 11-year-old Pole was playing with a friend a year his senior.

At one point a group of teenagers, four boys and a girl, approached them. The teenagers began insulting and poking fun at the Polish boy, alluding to his country of origin, according to Polish Radio’s IAR news agency.

When the accosted boy would not be provoked, two of the teenagers hit him in the face and ribs. The attackers fled before police arrived, according to IAR.

The 11-year-old Pole suffered facial injuries and was taken to a local hospital, where he was provided with medical assistance on an outpatient basis, IAR reported.

The case is being investigated as a xenophobic attack, the news agency said.

(gs/pk)

Source: IAR