EXCLUSIVE:Anti-anglo beating?

A 63-year-old Montreal man says he may have been the victim of racial and anti-anglo slurs and beaten up and sent to hospital as a result.

Shamslla Bina told CJAD 800 News he was on his way home late Sunday afternoon from the de l'Eglise metro, when he told a young man in English not to press up so close to him on the escalator. Bina said the young man was with two other men and two women. Bina said the young man told him to go back to Ontario and to his own country. Bina, who came to Montreal from Iran 30 years ago, switched to French, the language he uses the most, and the dispute continued onto the street.

Bina said the three young men caught up with him a few blocks away and attacked him, hitting him in the face and head and then kicking him when he fell. Bina said they left but came back minutes later and started kicking him again while he was still lying on the ground.

Hydel Condes was working nearby at the time and saw part of the attack and one of the suspects.

"He saw something on the street, he took it and punched the old guy in the face," Condes said.

"After that, the old guy sat down there, full of blood and I called 9-1-1."

Bina suffered a cut above his eye that had to be stitched up along with several bruises and cuts on his face and head; his lung was bruised because of a kick to his side. Bina said doctors told him he may be released in a day or two.

Bina said language or his Iranian background may have been the motives behind the taunting and the attack which occurred on his birthday.

"I don't know why, I don't understand. (It was) for nothing," Bina said.

Police said almost right after the attack, they arrested one of the three suspects, a 23-year-old man facing four charges including assault causing bodliy harm. The other two are still being sought.