The director of the charity Southall Black Sisters has spoken of her frustration and anger after she was allegedly racially assaulted on the London Underground.
Selma Taha, who heads the campaign and advocacy group that supports black and minoritised women, said she was travelling with friends on the Northern line in central London on Friday 29 September when they were verbally and physically assaulted in an “extremely violent racist attack”.
Taha said a female assailant verbally abused her and her friends with racist language, including making monkey sounds, calling them “bitches” and “slaves” and subjecting them to “other vile racist slurs”.
The assault then turned violent, she said, with the assailant alleged to have pulled clumps of hair from Taha and her friend. Taha said the assailant had also bitten into her flesh, leaving an imprint of her teeth.
Taha said she had to receive medical care, which included a tetanus injection and antibiotics, as a result of the attack. She said the assault, and what she described as the lack of support by an off-duty police officer, had left her feeling “flabbergasted” and “upset”.
She claimed the off-duty officer had not intervened quickly enough. “Almost worse than the shock of the racist attack was the indifference of the police officer,” she said.
British Transport police confirmed they are investigating the incident and called for witnesses to come forward.
A spokesperson said: “Officers received a report around 11.30pm on 29 September of an altercation on board a Northern line Underground train. An off-duty officer from the Metropolitan police intervened and separated the group before escorting passengers off at the next stop, King’s Cross, and calling the British Transport Police for assistance.
“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 alleged assailant has been arrested on suspicion of assault and a racially aggravated public order offence and has been released on bail.
The Metropolitan police said they were aware of the alleged assault where an off-duty Met officer was present. “A complaint has been received to the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards and we have made a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct,” a spokesperson said.
“The officer involved is being provided with welfare support during this process,” they added.
