+WARNING: CONTAINS SWEARING+

An eyewitness who apparently called police after he spotted a man trying to gain entry to a shuttered building in central London was then attacked by the man in broad daylight today (April 23) in a volley of blows.

In video filmed this afternoon at around 2pm in London's Fitzrovia, a man can be seen in front of a derelict building on the corner of Mortimer Street and Newman Street.

The man then paces quickly towards a man in shorts who is on the phone, gesticulating at him. The man on the phone kicks out at the man as he approaches him in front of a branch of Pret a Manger.

The other man lays a barrage of punches on the man with the phone before onlookers try to separate the two.

Writes the filmer: "The belligerent vagrant was initially bashing in the front door of the yellow [derelict] cafe. The owner was inside, barricading himself inside while the vagrant attacked the shop.

"Nearby, an eye-witness [man wearing shorts] was calling the police. The vagrant caught on to this and proceeded to attack the bystander. It was very shocking. There are many eye-witnesses in the video [and many more - perhaps hundreds] off-screen.

"This altercation ended when the vagrant was on the ground and the police (eventually) took him away."

Witnessed at about 14:00 this afternoon. The belligerent vagrant was initially bashing in the front door of the yellow cafe. The owner was inside, barricading himself inside while the vagrant attacked the shop. Nearby, an eye-witness (man wearing shorts) was calling the police. The vagrant caught on to this and proceeded to attack the bystander. It was very shocking. There are many eye-witnesses in the video (and many more - perhaps hundreds) off-screen.
This altercation ended when the vagrant was on the ground and the police (eventually) took him away.