ASIAN leaders are urging police to crack down on “racist yobs” attacking their community centre before youths “take the law into their own hands”.

They say people attending the Shaheed Udham Singh Asian Community Centre, in White Hart Road, Plumstead, have suffered a spate of racist attacks, including one on a man with a wooden club studded with nails.

Asian youth representatives will meet Greenwich Council leader Chris Roberts tonight to discuss how they can improve community safety.

Director Krishen Jalli said: “We’re asking our youths not to take the law into their own hands. But if someone attacks you or humiliates you, then it’s only natural to want to defend yourself. That’s the law of the country.

“We’re asking the police and the council to do something before our youths react.

“They have every right to defend themselves.” A 28-year-old Asian man was hospitalised for five days with facial injuries after a gang of 18 to 20-year-olds threw bricks at his car as he was driving out of the centre at about 1am on August 2.

Some of the gang attacked him with a scaffold pole and a wooden club covered with nails.

Just 15 days later, the centre’s 45-year-old caretaker was left with a gash above his left eye after a gang of youths struck him on the head.

Six months ago youths rammed the centre’s iron gates with a stolen car and then drove through the perimeter fence.

Replacing the fence will cost £15,000.

Racist verbal abuse and graffiti are also areas of concern, making elderly people too afraid to go to the centre.

Bob Bajwa, police development officer at the centre, said: “Our main concern is we have been reporting incidents to police all year and it took a physical attack for them to actually respond. We are disgusted by that.” Greenwich Council for Racial Equality director Makhan Bajura said: “The centre is a sitting duck as a target. The council should provide money for repairing the fence and install CCTV outside.” Community leaders, who plan to hold a public meeting to discuss the problems, place much of the blame for the problems on the area’s scrap merchants which attract abandoned vehicles and make it look rundown. Police recently towed away 20 abandoned vehicles.

Police say there has been criminal damage all along the road and an anti-social behaviour order is about to be brought against one of the main culprits.

Superintendent Adrian Hanstock, of Greenwich CID, said: “A meeting would present an opportunity to talk about future activity and improve the appearance and safety of the area.” A council spokesman said: “The council will be seeking to address any of the issues which arise as a result of the meeting.”