Sri Lankan fast-food chain targeted by Tamil revenge mob

A businessman from Sri Lanka says he "fears for his life" after becoming the target of a hate campaign from Tamil youths.

Sam Chandrasinghe, owner of fast-food chain Sam's Chicken, says his staff have been threatened and bricks hurled at four of his 30 takeaways in the capital due to his Sinhalese background.

The 62-year-old from Hendon has advised staff to close their shops early amid fears they will be attacked on the way home. Sri Lanka's Sinhalese government declared victory in their 26-year war with the Tamils in Sri Lanka on Monday.

Mr Chandrasinghe, a father of two who has lived in Britain since 1967, told the Standard: "We are the only Sinhaleseowned business on the high street so the Tamils are targeting us.

"They come in and shout at my staff, Are you Tamil or Sinhalese?' We are all living in fear and I have had to close my shops early because they come late at night and smash the windows."

Police are investigating the attacks as possible "faith hate crimes". The Sinhalese are mainly Buddhist while the Tamils are largely Hindu. Mr Chandrasinghe said the violence began about a month ago. "One gang of four young men came into a branch in Kingsbury and said, We will burn your restaurant down, you are supporting the Sri Lankan government,'" he said.

He added that branches of Sam's Chicken in Forest Gate, Sudbury Hill and Harrow have been vandalised. The shopfront of his Kingsbury branch was shattered by bricks on Tuesday. This comes after a Sri Lankan Buddhist temple, also in Kingsbury, reported a spate of attacks.

Mr Chandrasinghe said: "We are arranging cars to take people [staff] home because we are all so scared. I am scared these gangs will find out where I live and my wife or children will be attacked."