Bus Incident and Aftermath
Salsabil, a 21-year-old Muslim woman, said she was verbally abused on a bus in west London on 31 July while wearing a niqab. She was traveling home from central London when a passenger swore at her and told her she was not welcome with the veil, calling it terrorism. The man threatened to remove her veil and to kill her, she said.[S1]
Another passenger intervened and got into a physical fight with the man. The bus driver then asked the man to leave, which he did. Salsabil continued to her stop in north-west London. She said she felt alone and feared serious injury, but was grateful for the passenger who defended her.[S1]
Daily Abuse and Reporting Challenges
Salsabil said she experiences such abuse daily, including spitting, barging, and pushing. She said she often convinces herself to tolerate it rather than report it. She chose not to report this incident to the police because a previous report of Islamophobic hate crime was dismissed by officers.[S1]
She said many women who report such incidents are dismissed, which discourages them from approaching police again. Born and raised in London, she said she has not felt safe for the past year, especially on public transport. She stressed that abuse should never be justified by how someone dresses.[S1]
Official Responses
Siwan Hayward, the director of security, policing, and enforcement at TfL, expressed her shock after viewing the video. She emphasized that no individual should endure or fear abuse while using the network. Hayward confirmed that TfL is actively investigating the incident and urged any witnesses to reach out to the police with relevant information.[S1]
A representative from the Metropolitan Police stated that no community should face intimidation or abuse, and they are dedicated to addressing hate crimes. They acknowledged the video and are attempting to reach out to the victim. London's victims commissioner, Andrea Simon, expressed doubts that this incident was an isolated case and voiced concerns about victims' willingness to report such incidents. Simon believes that Salsabil's experience is not unique and that many victims may be hesitant to come forward.[S1]
