Niqab-wearing woman threatened with violence on London bus in Islamophobic attack

A 21-year-old Muslim woman was threatened with physical violence on a west London bus on 31 July after a passenger verbally abused her for wearing a niqab. Salsabil, who did not give her surname, told the BBC she was subjected to Islamophobic abuse during two consecutive bus journeys, with the second incident captured on video.

The man told her she was "not welcome" with the veil on her face, accused her of terrorism, and threatened to remove it by force. He also threatened to kill her, Salsabil said. Another passenger intervened and a physical altercation followed. The bus driver asked the man to leave the vehicle.

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Daily abuse on public transport

Salsabil told the BBC she experiences Islamophobic abuse "every single day" on London’s public transport network. She described being spat at, pushed, and verbally harassed, but said she and other women have come to accept it as something to tolerate rather than report.

She said she did not report the 31 July incident to the Metropolitan Police after a previous complaint was dismissed. "Being dismissed is very demotivating to ever approach the police again," she said. She added that she no longer feels safe on public transport, a change she has noticed over the past year.

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We should never justify abuse based on how someone dresses. If a woman chooses to wear the hijab or the niqab, or doesn’t choose to wear any religious clothing, she should never feel unsafe.

Salsabil, victim of the attack

Authorities respond as hate crime rises

Transport for London’s director of security, policing and enforcement, Siwan Hayward, said she was "appalled" by the video of the incident. "No-one should ever have to fear or experience abuse when using our network," she said, as reported by the BBC. TfL is urgently investigating the incident and has encouraged witnesses to contact police.

The Metropolitan Police said it was aware of the video and was attempting to contact Salsabil. A spokesperson told the BBC that "no community in London should have to endure intimidation or abuse" and that the force takes a zero-tolerance approach to anti-Muslim hatred. Reported faith-based hate crime in London rose by 25% over the past year, according to police data.

London’s victims commissioner, Andrea Simon, told the BBC she did not believe Salsabil’s experience was an isolated case. She expressed concern that victims of such abuse lack confidence in reporting incidents to police, fearing no action will be taken.

What happens next

The Metropolitan Police has urged anyone who witnessed the 31 July incident to come forward. TfL has not confirmed whether the bus operator involved has been identified or whether disciplinary action will follow. It is unclear whether the man who made the threats has been arrested or charged.

Salsabil said she wants to see greater accountability for such incidents. "I was born and raised in London and I’ve always felt safe," she said. "But I think recently, for the past year, I haven’t felt safe, especially going out on public transport."