HARROWING footage shows the moment a machete-wielding cyclist is disarmed and assaulted by a large mob of pedestrians.
The violence erupted in Southend, Essex on Saturday, where a group of men confronted the bloke on his bike, disarming him of his knife and bringing him to the ground.
The scrap has left Brits divided though, with some slamming the mob mentality amongst the assailants whilst others berated the biker for even carrying a blade in the first place.
Video filmed by an onlooker shows two men standing up to the armed thug, with one kicking his bicycle so hard that he collapses to the floor.
Another attacker then throws a glass object – presumably a bottle – at the downed thug which misses and shatters on the floor next to him.
Now three men square up to the weapon-wielding man who tries to regain his footing, pulling out his blade as he stands.
He threatens his attackers with his blade and lifts his bike as the public backs off.
Undeterred, the three men come back for a second attack on the thug and kick him and his bike to the floor again.
The criminal’s machete falls from his grip as a bag of rubbish is tossed at him, but a member of the public quickly rushes in and stamps on the knife, preventing the thug from grabbing it as he scrambles towards the weapon.
The two then wrestle over the machete as other members of the public rush to help.
The clip then cuts to the member of the public and the thug on the concrete, with the latter pinned down.
Several members of the public join the fray and begin to beat the thug mercilessly, kicking him in the ribs and punching him in the head.
A civilian grabs the blade from the ground and carries it away, shouting to others as he does so.
The thug is pinned on his back, kicked in the head and choked by the men that stood up to him as more and more members of the public join in with the beating until a mob has formed.
An argument can be heard breaking out in the background as some members of the public appear to try and defend the thug who was wielding the weapon.
Chaos then erupts with arguments, insults and violence taking over the street – and no one quite sure of what is happening.
The thug is continuously beaten while the chaos unfolds around him with members of the public confusing him for an innocent.
Eventually the thug finds his feet and his bike with the help of a woman and makes his way away from the mob baying for his blood.
The footage was shared to social media yesterday with the caption: “Happened in South Church Road in Southend last night.”
It has since received over 1,500 likes and more than 160 comments from divided social media users.
One user wrote: “Why are people defending the person carrying a machete?”
Another added: “Having to police our own streets now by the looks of it.”
A third said: “Completely unacceptable behaviour, hope they’ve all been arrested.”
Another commented: “Southend was a nice place 20 years ago.”
A fifth replied: “Soppy middle-class do-gooders jumping in to help the guy threatening people get away before the police arrive.”
