The victim and his friend were said to have been confronted by a group of up to 20 teenagers on Friday night

Four teenage boys have been arrested following an allegedly racist attack on a Polish man in Leeds.

The boys – a 14-year-old, a 15-year-old and two 16-year-olds – were arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated grievous bodily harm and violent disorder, West Yorkshire police said.

They will be questioned over an attack on a 28-year-old Polish man who was kicked and punched by a gang in Armley on Friday night.

The victim, who has not been named, and his friend were said to have been confronted by a group of up to 20 teenagers.

More suspects are being sought over the attack, which is being treated as racially aggravated due to comments made towards the victim.

Police said the man received a cut to his head that required stitches and had to be treated in hospital.

Ch Supt Paul Money, Leeds district commander, said on Wednesday: “We have been carrying out extensive enquiries into this incident since it was reported and these arrests illustrate how that investigation is progressing. We have received a significant response from the public and we are grateful to everyone who has contacted us with information.

“Given the understandable concern that this incident has caused among people in Leeds, particularly the local Polish community, and the wider focus there has been on it, we have prioritised the investigation to ensure that we are doing everything we can to bring our enquiries to a successful conclusion.

“At the same time we will be maintaining increased patrols in the area where this incident occurred as part of our ongoing efforts to reassure the community.”

In a statement published on social media last week, the Polish embassy said it had been saddened by the attack, which “has been the most serious of over 10 xenophobic incidents experienced by Poles in the north of England” in recent months.

“The consular section of the Polish embassy in London offered assistance in [a] further 17 cases in the south and the midlands,” it said.

Money said he met Łukasz Lutostański, the Polish consul general, to update him on the investigation and the force’s attempts to reassure the Polish community in Leeds.

He added: “We will be maintaining that dialogue as the investigation continues, and we will also be working jointly to develop the Polish community’s awareness of our hate-incident reporting systems so that we can ensure we have as full a picture as possible and can respond accordingly to any issues raised.

“I want to reiterate that hate crime and hate incidents are completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in any form. The police work closely in partnership with the council and other agencies to tackle hate crime, and we encourage anyone who has been a victim to report those incidents.”