Commuter defends young Muslim girl from attack on London tube

Ashley Powys stands up for woman in a hijab being verbally abused by another man on London tube

LONDON: Ashley Powys, boarding the Victoria line train at Oxford Circus on Monday sat opposite a woman in a hijab who was verbally abused with racial slurs by another man.

Witnessing this, Ashley Powys, without hesitation, took action against the man to defend the woman from what is another example of the discrimination Muslims have been facing following the recent Paris attacks.

The full account of the incident and his thoughts were shared by Powys on his Facebook, which has received more 22,000 ‘likes’ and has been shared more than 7,700 times.





He describes the man “reeling off abuse… and saying that ‘her people’ murdered the victims of the Paris attacks this weekend.”

London resident, Powy, working at the Apple Store on Regent Street says he was shocked to see such an incident taking place in a city as diverse as London. He told the Evening Standard, “You'd expect it more in smaller communities, sheltered communities, because you don't get exposed to different cultures.”

He wrote on Facebook: "Without thinking, I automatically stood up and had to physically push him away from her, as he was aggressively close and was clearly terrifying her.” The man’s response was calling out Powys a “terrorist sympathizer.”

Powys added, "I'm 6'1", I'm strong, at the end of the day, I'd rather him turn on me because I can take it, than an innocent girl."

He explained that later, "The man continued to shout abuse at her while I distracted her asking about her day, and other small talk topics, all the while making sure I was a barrier between her and this guy, so he didn't have direct access to harm her."



The 22-year-old said that following the verbal attack made on the innocent woman named Yara, he and escorted her off the train at her stop. He reported that she confessed this was not the first time she received such abuse.

Mr Powys, after witnessing the horrific incident, decided to speak against such discrimination on his Facebook account, urging others to stand in solidarity following the Paris attacks.

“What happened in Paris this weekend was an atrocity. What happens every day in the Middle East is an atrocity. And the only way to move forward and to recover is in solidarity as one people who won't be terrorised,” said Mr Powys.

Ashley shared his shock at how no one else stood up for the woman on the train. Instead, he explains, “They sat in silence and allowed that abuse to happen. That's the problem with our society. Silence is our biggest weakness. We need to start speaking up and defending each other.”



“I want us to send a message to Islamic State, and any other group who inspire fear and hatred. I want us to send the message that what they destroy, we'll rebuild together. What lives they take, we'll remember together. And what people they target, we'll protect together.”

Ashley has received supportive messages from around the world

Mr Powys told the Evening Standard he hoped Yara saw the Facebook post so that she knew there were "thousands and thousands of people out there who are actually on [her] side.”

He said, "People like Yara don't deserve abuse for the clothes they wear, the colour of their skin, or the faith they follow. Personally, in the stage of history we're living in, I think it's incredible for people like her to showcase their beliefs, despite the onslaught.”



He added, "Yara is much braver that I am. And she, and people like her, inspire me to stand up for what *I* believe in. And that's an equal, kind, and understanding society despite religious and cultural differences. After all, we're strongest when we're united."

This article originally appeared on Evening Standard.