Bus ban for Hackney 'race rant' probe woman

A woman who was arrested by police investigating claims of a black woman making racist comments about white people on a bus has been released on bail, with the condition that she does does not travel on any London bus.

The 34-year-old was arrested at an address in Hackney yesterday on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence and taken to an east London police station for questioning.

The Metropolitan Police made the arrest after assessing video footage of a woman making comments on a London bus.

Thousands of people have watched the footage, which was recorded by a fellow passenger, after it was posted to video-sharing website YouTube.

In the two-minute, 35-second clip, shot on a camera phone, the distressed-looking woman is heard proudly proclaiming her African heritage in the crowded bus before launching into a foul-mouthed rant disparaging white people.

She is also heard to criticise the Queen for wearing a crown with an African diamond in it.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said a 34-year-old woman had now been bailed to return in September, pending further inquiries.

He added that she had been bailed to return with a condition not to travel on any London bus.

The spokesman said: "On Monday 20 August MPS officers began to assess footage of a woman that was brought to our attention. It shows a woman making comments on a bus.

"At 14.15hrs on Tuesday 21 August Hackney police officers arrested a 34-year-old woman at an address in Hackney and she was taken to an east London police station.

"The woman - arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated public order (Section 4a contrary to Section 31 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998) - has now been bailed to return in September, pending further inquiries.

"She has been bailed to return with a condition not to travel on any London bus."

PA