Diners at an Indian restaurant were forced to flee in fear after a mob of about 40 thugs ransacked the venue, smashing windows and doors and assaulting people inside.
The attack happened at the Moghul Durbar restaurant, in Spinney Hills, Leicester, at about 9pm on Monday.
Six people were taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary and three men remained in hospital last night – and are in a stable condition.
Police have arrested six men in connection with the incident.
CCTV footage taken by a nearby business shows about 40 men running from a nearby side street and going into the restaurant through the front door.
It takes almost a minute for the large group to squeeze inside the restaurant, in East Park Road.
Some of them can then be seen running out and smashing the front windows before disappearing down the same side street.
Witnesses yesterday described seeing people running from the scene with blood streaming from their faces.
Fast food worker Saif Butt, 18, from Royal Chicken and Pizza, a takeaway shop across the road, was working as the chaos spilled out on to the street.
"We were pretty busy, so I didn't see it at first," he said. "Then a big group of people ran past and some people were bleeding from the side of their faces – blood was running down their cheeks.
"Other people were bleeding from their bodies, around their chests. They looked frightened and some of them were crying."
The attack lasted five minutes, and traders said it was one of the worst incidents of violence they had seen in the area.
Ashraf Sidat, 32, owner of fast food shop Toro's Express, next door to Moghul Durbar, said: "I was talking to the staff who were on last night and they said it was crazy.
"A massive group of lads ran into the kitchen next door.
"It's only just been taken over and redecorated. The new guy has only been there for about four weeks.
"You don't expect it in this area, nothing like this has ever happened before."
Bilkis Shakh, owner of Seam Line Tailors, opposite the restaurant, said: "I've heard a lot of rumours about what went on. We obviously weren't open, but it sounded awful.
"We've only just opened ourselves but I've never heard of anything like this happening."
The owner of the CCTV camera which supplied the footage – who asked not to be named – said: "I just don't understand how they thought they could get away with it when the police station is so close.
"We know the owners and they're really nice guys – it's horrible to think something like this has happened to them.
"The footage shows people running around, there's so many of them, it's crazy."
Police said they would not be releasing the CCTV images.
However, they did call for witnesses to come forward and identify members of the group.
Detective Inspector Simon Preston said: "We have had a team of officers working on this incident and already have six people arrested.
"However, that doesn't mean that we don't still need witnesses to come forward."
A section of East Park Road outside the restaurant remained cordoned off yesterday while forensic officers carried out their examinations.
Police said officers would be patrolling the area to reassure members of the community.
Chief Superintendant Rob Nixon, police commander for the city, said: "I would like to reassure the community in the East Park Road area that we are treating this incident very seriously."
The Mercury was unable to contact the owners of the Moghul Durbar restaurant yesterday.
Anyone with any information should call police on 101. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers, which is anonymous, on 0800 555 111.
