Manchester tram passengers stand up to 'very abusive' passenger - watch video

Man who recorded video praises actions of fellow Mancunians

A video has captured the moments tram passengers in Manchester stood up to a man who allegedly made disparaging comments to people who were not talking in English.

In the recording, which starts after the offending remarks were made, a man can be heard speaking up for a couple, believed to be Spanish.

A voice is heard saying "Who cares if they're talking in a foreign language?"

People then tell him not to "waste his time" talking to the man.

The allegedly offensive passenger then asks another passenger if he is English.

"Yeah I am English and I'm not bothered what country anyone comes from," the voice replies.

The man then asks: "Are you gay?"

The speaker then says that he is, and "who cares if I am?"

The man accused of being offensive replies: "There you go...so I'm racist about gays now?"

Another passenger then intervenes and threatens to call the police.

The footage was captured by a man called Jose, who said he was a student at Manchester University.

"It was disgusting. He was being very abusive," he told Manchester Evening News.

“But the reaction from the people on the tram was amazing, for them to stand up to him and tell him it was not on."

Jose, who said he was originally from Peru, continued: “You would only get a reaction like that in England. In fact I was speaking to the Spanish guy that had been attacked and he said that to me.

"He said that no one would have bothered to help someone in that way other than in Britain.

“As soon as he was challenged the guy just shut up and didn’t say anything else. Hopefully he will think twice about being like that in the future – and know that people in Manchester won’t put up with it.”