Racist woman in Croydon tram YouTube clip sought by police
Monday, November 28, 2011JoannaTillFollow
A WOMAN who hurled racist abuse at passengers on a tram while holding a toddler in her arms is being sought by the police after a video of the incident appeared online.
The recording shows a dark-haired woman swearing and shouting at black and Asian passengers on a tram late at night.
The Advertiser understands the tram was the number 3 service between New Addington and Wimbledon.
More than 10,000 people have viewed the clip, called 'My Tram Experience', less than 24 hours after it was posted on YouTube yesterday (Sunday).
British Transport Police (BTP) have launched an investigation and called for the passenger who recorded the incident to come forward.
The video begins as the woman, clutching a blonde-haired little boy, bemoans the impact of immigration on 'her Britain'.
She turns to another passenger and spits 'You aren't English,' before looking around the carriage and swearing at her fellow passengers and telling them to 'get back to their own countries'.
The woman does not react to the fact that her rant is being filmed by a passenger sitting in front of her.
As the little boy in her arms plays with a toy, another passenger intervenes: "Excuse me dear, there are little kids on the tram."
The woman responds: "So what? I've got a little kid here."
She then dares the woman, who is black, to throw her off the tram, and then swears at her and shouts: "Go back to Nicaragua, or wherever you come from."
A number of other passengers appear visibly angry and distressed. One young man gets to his feet but is persuaded not to react.
The woman then shouts: "You aren't British, you're black."
The carriage erupts. A white woman whose baby has just been woken up by the argument says: "I'm English, what have you got to say to me?"
Still holding the child the racist woman turns and points at the passengers behind her. She shouts: "Someone's got to talk up for these lot. Look, the whole tram, look at them."
Another passenger asks: "What's wrong with that?"
The woman replies: "Because it's all black and brown people."
The BTP said it would do everything in its power to locate the woman in the video.
A spokesman added: "At present, it is not entirely clear which tram stops the offence took place between and when it occurred.
"As a result, we need anyone who witnessed the incident, or with any information that could assist our investigation - including the identity of the woman - to contact us.
"We will not tolerate racism in any form on the rail network."
A Transport for London spokesman said: "TfL will not tolerate this disgusting and offensive behaviour and we will work with the police to fully investigate this incident."
Anyone with information should contact British Transport Police on 0800 405040 quoting reference B6/LSA.
