Saudi Student Fatally Stabbed in Cambridge, Family Says UK No Longer Safe for Visitors

A young Muslim student, Mohammed Yousef Alqassem, was fatally stabbed in what police have described as an “unprovoked attack” in Mill Park, Cambridge, near the city’s main railway station. Despite rapid medical response by off-duty doctors and paramedics, he died at the scene just after midnight.

Alqassem, 20, was on a 10-week English language placement at EF International Language Campuses in Cambridge. He was attacked, reportedly slashed in the neck and left to bleed out. According to the Cambridgeshire police, he succumbed to his injuries shortly after help arrived.

The accused, 21-year-old Chas Corrigan, of Cambridge, has been charged with murder and possession of a knife in a public place. Corrigan appeared at Cambridge Crown Court and is expected to plead not guilty, claiming self-defence. 

A plea hearing is scheduled for September 8, with a trial provisionally set for February next year. A 50-year-old0 man was also arrested for allegedly assisting an offender and remains in custody.

The incident has caused significant alarm within the international and Arab communities, prompting widespread calls for reassessing the safety of studying or traveling in the UK.

In a heartfelt statement, Alqassem’s family described him as a "dutiful son, a loving brother, and the leader of the family in spirit, not in appearance.” They added, “He was cheerful, chivalrous, pure of heart, quick to give, and passionate about others… the most compassionate person to ever visit a mother’s heart and the closest to his sisters’ embrace.”

EF International Language Campuses expressed their grief, stating they were “deeply saddened” by the death of one of their adult students. Outside Mill Park, floral tributes and handwritten notes were left in his memory. One message read, “May your soul be at peace,” accompanied by the Arabic phrase "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un",  To God we belong and to Him we return.

The Saudi embassy in the UK confirmed that it is actively coordinating with British authorities. “The embassy and all its staff extend their sincere condolences to the family of the deceased, asking God Almighty to have mercy on him,” it said in a statement on X. They are also overseeing the repatriation of Alqassem’s body to Saudi Arabia.

Alqassem, a resident of Makkah, was known for volunteering at the Two Holy Mosques during Hajj and Umrah. His uncle, Majed Abalkhail, speaking to the reporters, described him as “a calm, kind-hearted young man” who came to the UK with “a heart full of hope and a passion for learning” to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor.

Abalkhail issued a strong warning about public safety in the UK. “Many people, both in the UK and abroad, have expressed growing concerns about the rise in violent crime in Britain, and we believe the country is no longer a safe destination for students or tourists,” he said. “People from various countries, including many in the Arab world, are seriously rethinking any plans to visit or study in the UK.”

He continued, “Britain is rapidly losing its global reputation, not just as a center of education, but even as a travel destination. Sadly, Britain is becoming a symbol of lawlessness, insecurity and government failure.”

This stabbing follows another fatal attack in Bury, where 19-year-old Mohammed Afzal was killed, adding to the growing concern over the rise of violent crimes across the country. In the year leading up to March 2025, UK authorities recorded 6.6 million crimes,  including 22,000 knife-related offenses,  a steep rise from 14,000 in 2015.

The killing of Mohammed Yousef Alqassem, a student simply seeking education and opportunity, underscores a disturbing trend and raises urgent questions about public safety, especially for international students in the UK. As the investigation continues and legal proceedings unfold, the Muslim and global communities watch closely, hoping for justice and meaningful change.