The executive director of a charity for Black women, Southall Black Sisters, says she was attacked on the Tube and racially slurred at as an off-duty Met Police officer watched.
When asked about the violent attack last Friday, Selma Taha said she and her friends were verbally and physically abused.
The organization claims that a Met detective witnessed the attack but did nothing while the perpetrator, a white woman, made monkey sounds, called them "b****es," "slaves," and other slurs.
Ms Taha said that she was bitten and had "clumps" of hair ripped out of her head. The resulting wound had to be treated with tetanus injection and antibiotics.
"Almost worse than the shock of the racist attack was the indifference of the police officer especially now when the Met police has been rocked by evidence of historical, institutionalised racism and misogyny suffered by Black and minoritised communities and finally backed up by the Casey report,” Ms Taha said.
“We demand that appropriate action be taken against the assailant and the police officer.”
Ms Taha, her friends, and the alleged attacker all got off the train at the station, but the police officer allegedly did not attempt to arrest the woman, instead suggesting that they part ways.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Department acknowledged the alleged assault and confirmed the presence of an off-duty MPD officer.
“We are making immediate enquiries to establish the exact circumstances. A complaint has been received to the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards and we have made a referral to the Independent Office of Police Conduct. The officer involved is being provided with welfare support during this process.”
British Transport Police (BTP) confirmed said: “BTP officers quickly attended and arrested a 30-year-old woman who was being detained by the off-duty officer on the platform. It was reported she had been racially abusive and bitten one of the group during the altercation.”
The woman was arrested on suspicion of assault and a racially aggravated public order offence and has been released on bail while inquiries continue.
To address the needs of Black and other marginalized women, Southall Black Sisters was founded in 1979 as a non-profit, secular, and inclusive group.
