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A disturbing incident of racial abuse unfolded on a train journey from London to Manchester, where a 26-year-old Indian-origin woman was subjected to a racist tirade by an allegedly intoxicated man. The incident, which took place on Sunday, escalated from a casual conversation to an aggressive confrontation.
The Beginning of the Altercation
Gabrielle Forsyth, the victim, was traveling home when she struck up a conversation with another passenger. She casually mentioned her work with a charity that supports immigrants. However, a nearby passenger, who was drinking from a can, overheard the discussion and became confrontational. The situation quickly took a dark turn as he launched into a racially charged rant.
A video of the incident that was later deleted captured the man shouting offensive remarks at Ms Forsyth. He boasted about England’s historical conquests and made derogatory comments about the country’s immigrants. The man is seen in the video saying:
“You’re in England, you are claiming something. You wouldn’t be in England if you weren’t claiming something. English people conquered the world and gave it back to you. We conquered India, we didn’t want it, we gave it back to you.”
The man continued, further demeaning fellow passengers by calling them “immigrants,” and even made disturbing remarks, saying, “I’m not gonna hit you, I have a girl there that lives to get hit.”
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Victim’s Response and Video for Protection
In reaction to the man’s aggression, Ms Forsyth recorded the encounter for her protection. She later reflected on the incident, saying, “He heard the word immigrant and his bodily response was that of anger and aggression. It was very jarring. I feel very strongly what he said was wrong.”
Forsyth also revealed that after sharing the video online, she was bombarded with online abuse. “The amount of abuse I have received from this one video is insane. I have been called slurs I did not even know existed,” she said, expressing concern about the proliferation of hate speech on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter).
Also I just want to say you could never make me ashamed of being brown. I will never be ashamed of my heritage, and I will never be afraid of Nazis or bigots. Call me whatever, threaten me with whatever. I’m not going anywhere and you can die mad about it.
— gabrielle ☭ (@forsyth_gabby) February 10, 2025
The Aftermath and Legal Action
Ms Forsyth has reported the incident to the British Transport Police (BTP). In response to the abuse she faced online, she stated: “This is a part of my identity I am proud to have. I care very much about the proliferation of rights for people of colour in this country and I do think we are backsliding.”
She added, “Being Indian, being the daughter of an immigrant, being in touch with my history and heritage is a blessing and a gift, and I am grateful every day to have the ability to stand up for myself and people of colour. I back myself and us all to the hilt.”
This incident highlights not only the racial abuse faced by Ms Forsyth but also the growing issue of online harassment in the wake of such incidents.
