Police have identified a man who allegedly abused a young Muslim woman for wearing a niqab and called her “batman” in front of his two children.
The Telegraph reports that Scotland Yard said officers interviewed a 39-year-old man under caution after Ahlam Saed, 25, posted a video to Facebook.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the man, who has not been named, was interviewed on Thursday and has not been arrested.
The man in the video, filmed in Shepherd’s Bush, west London, is seen repeatedly asking her “why are you dressed like that?”, referring to her niqab. At another point in the altercation, the man in the clip says to Miss Saed: “My kids can’t even see your face. How do I know if you’re a man or a woman?”
“You’re ignorant,” Miss Saed responds. “You need to grow up and stop teaching your kids that.”
The man then claims that calling Miss Saed “Batman” was a one-off remark and apologises, but it’s not long before the two are locked in a further heated argument. The man launches into a story about a “white girl who married a Muslim dude” who he alleges has “photos of [an] Isis flag on their back wall”.
Another person then steps between Miss Saed and the man.
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Writing about her upsetting experience online after the incident, Miss Saed said: “I can not believe what I had to endure today. Honestly couldn’t believe it. I was minding my own business. I had to pop into the shop down in Shepherd’s Bush to grab something. As I entered, this guy who I’ve seen around the area decided to call me ‘batman’, he even sang the theme tune. Thank you to the uncle and brother who came in and had a go at the man.”
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “Detectives investigating footage of a woman being verbally abused in what appears to be a hate crime-related incident have identified a man in connection with the incident. On Thursday, 7 April, detectives from Hammersmith and Fulham interviewed a 39-year-old man under caution. He has not been arrested and enquires continue. The investigation follows a confrontation is believed to have happened on Saturday, 2 April, at a shop on the Uxbridge Road, near to Shepherd’s Bush market.”
