
An angry mob of over two hundred people laid siege to a corner shop in Leman Street last night after a Whitechapel man was sold a tin of boiled potatoes in water which contained a number of potatoes that were extremely undersized.
Toby Dell, a 54-year-old forklift truck engineer, alerted neighbours and then posted pictures online of the potatoes in a pan, using arrows to indicate five or six extremely small examples.
Just hours later, a furious mob had gathered outside Dell’s home, chanting slogans and waving anti-tinned potato banners.
Things quickly turned ugly when Dell led the protesters, now brandishing pitchforks and carrying burning torches, down to Bishen Patel’s grocery store where they stood outside, hurling missiles and demanding justice and a full refund for Mr Dell.
As the baying mob began overturning cars and throwing petrol bombs at police, Mr Patel emerged from the shop and explained to Mr Dell that he had no idea that the tin contained undersized potatoes and that if he had known he would have taken it up with the wholesaler immediately.
Patel then gave Dell a free tin of Smedley’s tinned kidney beans in brine by way of recompense.
The two men then embraced warmly as the delighted crowd roared their approval before dispersing into the night.
This latest incident comes just two days after a local greengrocer was crucified and then burned alive by an angry mob in St George’s Park in Shadwell for allegedly selling a tin of marrow fat peas that contained a couple of black ones.