A Nov. 22 video circulating on social media shows a Muslim woman intervening after a London man tells a Jewish man and his son they are part of the “Synagogue of Satan” on the metro.
According to the UK Sun, the man was reading from a Bible, saying to the little boy’s face, “I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jewish, and are not, but do lie.”
The father, who was wearing a yarmulke, told his son to ignore the man.
A male passenger who can’t be seen on video says something inaudible, prompting the man to tell him to “f— off.”
The Muslim woman wearing a hijab then told the man to calm down because there were children on board. The man replied, “These people are impostors, they are trying to claim my heritage and then try and tell me that it’s cool and then they start the slave trade.”
He went on to yell at the Muslim woman about how she shouldn’t be wearing trousers as the Jewish father laughs.
Around noon I witnessed appalling anti Semitic abuse towards this Jewish Family on the northern line. Fair play to other passengers who stood up to him. If you recognise the guy please report to @metpoliceuk pic.twitter.com/YxzwAnDqTJ
— Chris Atkins (@scatatkins) November 22, 2019
Filmmaker Chris Atkins recorded the video and told Sky News about the incident.
“The boy was terrified,” Atkins said. “I couldn’t believe it. It was so odd to see someone be so horrible and brazen. The dad was cool and calm and shrugged it off. He behaved commendably. I’m not sure I could have stayed so calm.”
He also praised the Muslim woman for being “incredibly brave.”
Forward Opinion Editor Batya Ungar-Sargon tweeted, “This Muslim woman in a hijab who intervened to protect an Orthodox Jewish family from anti-Semitic abuse, *after* the man hurling the abuse *at a child* threatened to punch someone for trying to stop it, is a hero. I’m in awe of her courage and her valor.”
This Muslim woman in a hijab who intervened to protect an Orthodox Jewish family from anti-Semitic abuse, *after* the man hurling the abuse *at a child* threatened to punch someone for trying to stop it, is a hero. I'm in awe of her courage and her valor. Eshet chayil mi yimza. https://t.co/jQFWItiLgG
— Batya Ungar-Sargon (@bungarsargon) November 22, 2019
Tablet Senior Writer Yair Rosenberg similarly tweeted, “On the train in Britain, man begins harassing Jewish man and his small son with anti-Semitic invective. Muslim woman intervenes and stands up for them. We do this for each other because we know what’s it’s like.”
https://twitter.com/Yair_Rosenberg/status/1197924188268433415
The British Transport Police said in a statement, “We are aware of a video circulating on Twitter which shows passengers being harassed and being targeted with anti-Semitic abuse on a Northern Line train. Inquiries are being made in relation to this footage.”
