BBC presenter reports racist abuse on London train

A BBC radio presenter has spoken about how a group of men directed “racist and misogynistic abuse at multiple passengers” on a train in south London.

Mary Mandefield was on a train from Bedford to Three Bridges on Thursday night when she said the men joined the train in pursuit of another passenger.

The group then got into several physical fights and started hurling abuse at passengers, she said.

British Transport Police said they are investigating the incident.

“At London Bridge last night … a group of men joined the train initiating a fight with another passenger,” Ms Mandefield told the BBC.

“They directed racist and misogynistic abuse at multiple passengers. They got into several physical fights.”

Ms Mandefield, who presents shows on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra, posted a brief piece of footage of the incident on social media.

She said that one of the men threatened her once he spotted her filming.

“I get the train every day, easily the most horrendous journey and experience I’ve had,” she wrote.

British Transport Police said that officers were called to East Croydon railway station “following reports of a fight on board a train”.

“Officers attended and those involved were identified and taken off the service,” a spokesman said, adding that enquiries are ongoing.

Sam Facey, Govia Thameslink Railway’s health, safety and security director, said: “Behaviour like this is completely unacceptable and will never be tolerated. This was a horrible experience for those involved.”

Since posting the footage online, Ms Mandefield, from south east London, said she has received hundreds of comments, “many of them racist and abusive towards myself”.

“I have seen a fake screenshot made to look like it’s from the British Transport Police website with many suggesting I have lied or that I initially targeted the man in the video,” she said.

She has reported many of the accounts and comments to the social media platform.