Two men were arrested in Bethnal Green underground station on Friday night after a suspected racist attack.

A 41-year-old black man was assaulted on the Central line platform and suffered cuts and bruising to his face but did not require hospital treatment. One eyewitness, Georgia Graham, 24, of Adelina Grove, Whitechapel, said five police cars, two unmarked police cars and a riot van responded to the incident and were parked outside the Roman Road entrance.

A 45-year-old man from Essex was arrested by British Transport police officers on suspicion of racially aggravated assault and a 40-year-old man from Essex was arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence.

The incident was reported to the police at 9.27pm and is believed to have started on an eastbound train.

Both men have been bailed to return to police in mid-March.

Detective Constable Dick Mortimer said: “CCTV is being reviewed and I am appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident to get in contact with us.”

Anyone with information can contact BTP on 0800 40 50 40, quoting incident number 661 of 18/02/2011 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.