A Muslim woman who defended a Jewish family from abuse on the London underground said she was overwhelmed by the response she received after footage of the incident was shared on social media.
London mother Asma Shuweikh confronted a man who aggressively read Bible passages at two children in skull caps and their father on Friday.
Ms Shuweikh was filmed by another commuter stepping in as the man went on an anti-Semitic rant, accusing Jewish people of being “imposters” who started the slave trade.
The man threatened a commuter who tried to intervene before Ms Shuweikh, wearing a hijab, confronted him. He abused her for wearing trousers.
"As a Muslim woman and mother, I know what it's like to be attacked and dehumanised for my faith and I couldn't just watch this happen to another family with young children," she told IlmFeed.
Throughout the abuse, the father appears calm and at one point comforts his young son, saying “just ignore it”.
British Transport Police said they had arrested a man in Birmingham on suspicion of a racially aggravated offence.
"I just kept saying, 'Shall I say something?'" Ms Shuweikh told Sky News. "But London's my city. I can't allow this to happen.
"My husband keeps warning me to be careful, especially with all the racial attacks towards Muslim people, but I'm that type of person. If I see something wrong, I have to say something. I can't sit there and say nothing."
The incredibly brave muslim woman who challenged the anti-semitic abuser has issued a very powerful statement https://t.co/qwBoflz070
— Chris Atkins (@scatatkins) November 23, 2019
Chris Atkins, who filmed the incident, said she was “incredibly brave”.
"In this day and age we are told how intolerant everyone is and all religions hate each other, and there you had a Muslim woman sticking up for some Jewish children," Mr Atkins told PA.
