Image Text:

PICTURED: The tube passenger pretending to be a monkey (Image: Screengrab/Twitter)

FOOTAGE OF the moment a tube passenger was targeted by a white man pretending to be a monkey has been shared online.

Mohammed Dirir was on the Northern line near Kennington station on Friday (March 8) when the incident occurred.

Speaking to the Evening Standard, Dirir said: “I was on the train minding my own business and I saw a group of men, white males, coming onto the train."

The 27-year-old added that one of the passengers "started doing these monkey chants and these monkey movements”.

Dirir said at first he tried to ignore the gestures but that the men appeared to be keen to get his attention and ensure he knew that they were targeting him.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mohammed Dirir (@sultandicapi) on Feb 8, 2019 at 5:42am PST

PICTURED: Mohammed Dirir

Speaking about why he chose not to respond to the men’s actions with anger, Dirir, who filmed part of the incident, told the Evening Standard: "That would be responding hate with hate, (adding) fuel to the fire.

“I was raised to show love rather than hate. I had to set an example, I had to show class.”

He added: “We need to stop the hatred around the world, its nonsense, we’re all the same, we’re one colour, one love there’s no difference when it comes to colours.

“But ignorant people like that need to be guided and I pray to God that he guides them.”

On Instagram, one of the social media platforms that Dirir shared the video on, some commenters praised his reaction.

“The colonisers disease...disgusting. Big up yourself for handling this the way you did. It's easy to get angry with racism and lash out but actually taking the higher ground and not lowering yourself like you did speaks many more volumes of your character, king business,” one commenter wrote.

Dirir also received messages of support. “This just goes to show that your mere presence intimidates them. You melanin infuriates them. They hate our skin yet emulate us in every way. Keep your head up beautiful black man,” another Instagram user said.

“We do not tolerate any acts of racist behaviour on our network and take all reports like this extremely seriously. We urge anyone who witnessed this shocking and appalling incident to contact the BTP and make an official report,” the Evening Standard reported Siwan Hayward, TfL’s director of policing, said in a statement.

The British Transport Police have also called for witnesses to come forward.

Anyone with information about the incident can contact the British Transport Police by texting 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40.

Read every story in our hardcopy newspaper for free by downloading the app.