{"id":215019,"date":"2023-10-03T09:29:19","date_gmt":"2023-10-03T09:29:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bestwnews.com\/?p=215019"},"modified":"2023-10-03T09:29:19","modified_gmt":"2023-10-03T09:29:19","slug":"is-peckham-shopkeeper-at-centre-of-refund-row-viral-vid-re-opening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bestwnews.com\/world-news\/is-peckham-shopkeeper-at-centre-of-refund-row-viral-vid-re-opening\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Peckham shopkeeper at centre of 'refund row' viral vid re-opening?"},"content":{"rendered":"
The shopkeeper at the centre of the \u2018throttling\u2019 controversy in his London\u00a0shop could be preparing to reopen his business – after a figure was spotted cleaning the front.<\/p>\n
Sohail Sindho, 45, went into hiding following the viral video which showed him grappling with a female customer\u00a0in his Peckham Hair and Cosmetics store.<\/p>\n
But now further footage has emerged suggesting he may be preparing to fling open his business’s doors again.<\/p>\n
They have been shut since the incident last month, but the latest video shows a masked figure taking protest posters off the shop frontage.<\/p>\n
He briefly appears uncovered but looks to be a different person to Mr Sindho.<\/p>\n
But the person taking the video believed it was him and said on the video last night: ‘I suppose he thinks he’s going to open up tomorrow.’\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mr Sindho was shown in the viral video appearing to grab a shopper around the neck as she tries to free herself by hitting him with the shopping basket\u00a0<\/p>\n
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A figure could be seen taking down the posters and notes that had been put on the shop<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The footage was taken by a passerby then uploaded to the social media platform TikTok<\/p>\n
Mr Sindho sat down to give his side of the row to MailOnline last month.<\/p>\n
He showed scars to his right eye and his shoulder which he said were the result of the woman hitting him with a shopping basket.<\/p>\n
He revealed he had separated from his wife and three sons and taken them out of school while angry crowds continued to congregate outside his shop.<\/p>\n
\u2018If it wasn\u2019t for my wife and three children I would walk right to the shop and out to the street and talk to the people, because I am very sorry about what happened,’ he said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Sohail Sindho, 45, spoke to MailOnline at his secret hideout, where he has taken refuge from angry protesters, following the viral video which shows him grappling with a female customer\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018I want them to know that I was only trying to restrain her. I didn\u2019t mean to put my hands around her throat, and it was only for a few seconds.<\/p>\n
\u2018I do agree that I should not have done that. But I was trying to protect myself as she was hitting me as the video shows.<\/p>\n
\u2018Some people have said that it might have been racial because I am Pakistani and she is a black lady. That is absolutely not the truth.<\/p>\n
\u2018I want you to know that 99 percent of my customers are people of colour. They are like my family. I don\u2019t know what being racist means.<\/p>\n
\u2018I live and work in a multicultural place, and I am happy here and so are my family.\u2019<\/p>\n
He revealed his shock at the video of him confronting the woman going viral after being posted on social media. He received a call from a friend and then the threats started.<\/p>\n
The woman he grappled with, like Mr Sindho, has been interviewed by police and released on bail.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The shop owned by Mr Sindho in Rye Lane Peckham, South London, which has seen demonstrations after a video of him appearing to put his hands around a woman’s neck went viral<\/p>\n
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Growing anger over the clip on social media led to calls for residents to boycott the shop<\/p>\n
He said the whole matter rested on three wigs worth \u00a37.99 each which the lady wanted to have a refund on.<\/p>\n
But he pointed out to her that her receipt clearly showed no refunds were available, but he had offered her an exchange.<\/p>\n
He said he had received hate calls from as far as America with people threatening his life.<\/p>\n
But he said: \u2018When the police came and they took her away, I told them I did not want her to be charged.<\/p>\n
\u2018It was all a heat of the moment thing, nothing more than that.<\/p>\n
\u2018I am hoping that I can meet with her and we can shake hands and reach a peaceful conclusion.<\/p>\n
\u2018I have two college degrees and am not a simple man. I have friends from as far as China and I don\u2019t see people’s colour. You could say that I am colour blind.\u2019<\/p>\n
He said he believed activists were \u2018inflaming\u2019 the situation and he hoped he could soon be allowed out of hiding.<\/p>\n
Asked what would happen to his business, he held his head in his hands and said: \u2018I don\u2019t know. I just want peace and to know my family are going to be safe.\u2019<\/p>\n