Foreign exchange students at Macclesfield College were attacked and racially abused near the campus.
The two men, both 21, were approached by a gang of boys and girls aged 15-17 on Park Lane.
The thugs verbally abused the victims and two girls punched them both twice telling them ‘we’re defending our country’.
The men, who are engineering students, were left shocked but uninjured.
Both girls who launched the attack were white and aged 15-17. One was thin and 5ft 1in-5ft 3in tall, with blonde hair in a pony tail. She wore a pink hoodie, white t-shirt and pink jogging bottoms.
The second girl was a larger build and about 4ft 11in-5ft 1in tall. She had dark shoulder-length hair and wore a white jacket and black jogging bottoms.
Insp Jez Taylor condemned the assault. He said: "It is clear this was racially motivated and we are doing everything we can to catch the offenders. This type of behaviour is not acceptable.
"We expect anyone who comes to study in our town to be treated with dignity and respect.
"If you have heard friends talking about their involvement in this, or you know any of the offenders we would urge you to do the decent thing and get in touch with us."
For almost a decade Macclesfield College has acted as the European Centre for Aerospace Training (ECAT) that trains aircraft engineers. It attracts students from all over the world.
Anyone with information should contact PC Gary Charnock on 101 quoting incident number 9. Alternatively, information can be given anonymously by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The incident happened at about 11.30pm on Wednesday, May 9.
