Emma West arrested over a racist rant aboard tram in London

Emma West, a 34-year-old British woman from New Addington, London, has been charged with racial harassment after video showing her allegedly abusing passengers aboard a tram while balancing a toddler on her knee appeared on the internet.

Emma West appeared before magistrates today charged with racially aggravated harassment following an appeal by the British Transport Police.

The woman was remanded in custody on Monday night, after complaints were made in relation to the footage uploaded to YouTube.

 

 

Emma West’s arrest followed an appeal by the British Transport officers who asked the media to publicize the video to help identify her.

A British Transport Police spokesman said: “This is in relation to an incident onboard a Croydon Tramlink.”

The video, posted on YouTube, shows a woman apparently hurling abuse at other passengers on the South London tram and making xenophobic insults.

The footage appears to have been discreetly captured by a passenger as the tram travelled from Croydon to Wimbledon.

Throughout the two minutes of footage the woman’s little boy sits nervously as his mother begins her rant.

At one point the woman declares other passengers should go back to their own country, saying they’re not British because they are black.

Onlookers appear to be uncertain whether the woman is drunk while she is making the comments.

The woman in the footage says: “None of you are ****ing English. Get back to your own country. Sort your own countries, don’t come and do mine.

“It’s nothing now. Britain is nothing now. Britain is **** all. My Britain is **** all.”

At one point the woman claims passengers in the carriage are “****ing burnt people.”

The film was posted on Youtube, on Sunday, by LadyK89 and already has more than 10,000 viewers.

The British Transport Police said: “The video posted on YouTube and Twitter has been brought to our attention and our officers have launched an investigation.

“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 this 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 and will do everything in our power to locate the person responsible.”

A spokeswoman for Transport for London (TfL), said: “All of our customers have the right to use our services without fear of being abused.

“TfL will not tolerate disgusting and offensive behaviour and we will work with the police to fully investigate this incident.

“London Tramlink has a dedicated team of police officers who patrol the network and we would like to assure all our customers that we will continue to do everything we can to ensure that they can travel safely.

“We would appeal to whoever posted the video to contact us in confidence.”

The transcript of Emma West’s racist rant:

“What has this country come to? A load of black people and a load of ****ing Polish. A load of ****ing, yeah… you’re all ****ing… do you know what I mean?

“You ain’t English. No, you ain’t English either. You ain’t English. None of you’s ****ing English. Get back to your own ****ing… do you know what sort out your own countries, don’t come and do mine.

“It’s nothing now. Britain is nothing now. Britain is **** all. My Britain is **** all.

“Yeah its fine. I have got a little kid here. Have respect? I have a little boy here. **** you. I dare you, I ****ing dare you.

“Don’t watch my language. Go back to where you come from, go back to ****ing Nicaragua or where ever you come from. Just ****ing go back.

“I work, I work, I work, this is my British country until we let you lot come over.

“So, what. It is my British country, you ain’t British. Are you British? You ain’t ****ing British. **** off.

“You ain’t British, you’re black. Where do you come from?

“No, someone’s got to talk up for these lot. Look the whole ****ing tram, look at them. Who is black and who is white.

“There is all black and ****ing burnt people.”

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