Officer Racially Abused while responding to Fight

A British Transport Police officer says he felt terrible after being racially abused when he was called to a fight at a Bradford train station.

PC Mohammed Abid said he was racially abused when responding to an incident at Bradford Forster Square railway station.

He attended the city centre train station after he responded to a report of a fight between two groups.

The York-based officer recalled the incident during National Hate Crime Awareness Week.

Revealing that the incident happened in the summer of 2021, PC Abid explained:

“We attended the station, and it proved extremely difficult to ascertain exactly what had happened from those at the location.

“We decided to let the two groups continue with their journeys separately, so we could make further enquiries into the incident.

“As I stood with one of the men, two women walked by and he made a racial slur to one of them.

“I arrested him for the offence and he responded with a torrent of abuse because of the colour of my skin.

“I can’t remember exactly what he said, except calling me a “Muslim b******” and ‘turbanator’.

“In that moment, I felt terrible, but I had a job to do and my focus was to convey him to custody.”

The officer went on to say that he has dealt with similar incidents in the past.

PC Abid continued: “It certainly wasn’t the first time I’ve been targeted with abuse because of my ethnicity so the longer-term impact of the man’s comments was minimal – I’ve dealt with it before and I’ll deal with it again.

“I know this isn’t the same for everyone and being singled out because of who you are can be extremely depressing.

“When I was young I was very aware that I didn’t look the same as everyone around me, and as a kid you want to fit in as much as possible.

“I would try and distance myself from my identity and culture – anything that associated me with being brown or Asian.”

“I realised that wasn’t right, and as I grew up I embraced what makes me, me.”

PC Abid added that the support he received from the British Transport Police was “overwhelming”.

Victims or witnesses of a hate crime can report it to BTP by texting 61016, calling 0800 40 50 40 or via the Railway Guardian app. If you’re in immediate danger, dial 999.