Six British solders were charged with beating up an off-duty police officer outside Mercury Bar, a Manhattan bar in the early morning hours last Friday, BBC News reported.
One solider is accused of second-degree robbery, while five were hit with third-degree assault charges in relation to the incident.
The soldiers were reported by Fijian nationals who serve in the unit 1st Scots Guard were on a battalion rugby tour, news reports said. Three of the solders appeared in court Tuesday, while the remaining three are expected later on this week.
The confrontation occurred during an argument between the soldiers and the off-duty NYPD outside the Murray Hill neighborhood bar.
Joeli Raduva, Filipe Vunisarati and Mosese Kurulala reportedly "struck [the officer] repeatedly about the face and body with closed fists," according to a police complaint filed. Iliakini Raderua and Thomas Shute have been accused of hitting the officer when he was on the ground or facing away from the soldiers, BBC also reported.
The officer suffered a broken nose, a swollen jaw, a large cut to his neck, with bruises and cut inside his mouth requiring stitches, news reports said.
The assailants alleged the off--duty officer made racial slurs leading to the fracas.
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