Passengers filmed in a vicious tirade against a woman on a Melbourne bus after she started singing in French. The footage was uploaded to YouTube, sparking fierce debate around Australia
Fanny Desaintjores, the French woman abused racially on a Melbourne bus. Picture: YouTube Source: news.com.au
POLICE have identified two people from a video showing bus passengers racially abusing a French woman after she started singing.
A man and woman from the video have been identified and police are appealing for help to find others in the video.
Police have also spoken with a woman believed to be one of the victims.
Anyone with further information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Yesterday, the French woman claimed she feared for her safety during the racist tirade.
The woman, identified as Fanny Desaintjores, said she was "afraid he [would come] and hit us".
The abuse happened on the bus, travelling between Mordialloc to Caulfield railway station, about 10.30pm on November 11.
YouTube footage of the incident has gone viral and sparked fierce debate on television shows and morning radio around the country after the footage was posted on the video site then by this website on Tuesday afternoon.
There has been widespread condemnation of the tirade, aimed at a woman sitting at the rear of the bus who started singing in French, and Transit and Public Safety Command detectives are investigating two men and a woman who made the verbal threats and racist taunts.
Fairfax reports Ms Desaintjores became fearful for her safety.
"My friends and I stopped laughing. We were quite afraid that he [would come] and hit us," she said.
"I think that's insane that they reacted like that, we're all adults. We could have a conversation and talk gently, instead of all these insults and threats."
Two men who yelled racial abuse at a French woman on a bus to Frankston. Source: Supplied
The video shows commuters on a late-night bus on the Frankston route verbally abusing the woman, yelling at her to "speak English or die".
The incident has reached French media outlets, with Le Monde reporting on the "xenophobic attack".
One of the passengers then allegedly hurled a rock through the window of the bus, smashing glass inside the vehicle.
Passenger Mike Nayna, who filmed the incident and posted the video on YouTube, said the mob started yelling at the woman when she began to sing in French.
He said one of the abusive passengers even threatened to "fillet these c---s" with a fishing knife. She was also threatened with having her breasts cut off.
One of the men, who had a child in a pram, allegedly smashed the window nearest to the girl after hopping off the bus.
"One girl started singing in French, and a girl up the front started telling her to shut up and chanted "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie'', most at the front of the bus joined in, that's when the passenger in the video on his phone joined the abuse,'' Mr Nayna said.
A woman screams at a fellow passenger after she started singing in French. Source: Supplied
The shocking incident took place at approximately 10.30pm on November 11.
What action do you think should be taken against those responsible? Have your say below
Young male passengers "egged on" the man to abuse the girl, Mr Nayna said.
"The young guys up the front were egging him on, they gave him a beer and a smoke and even offered him a fishing knife, and then he went off saying 'I'll fillet these c---s,'' Mr Nayna said.
"The French girl started to sing louder and they didn't like that so started the f--k off to your own country type of thing,'' he said.
The man who allegedly smashed the window was pushing a pram with a small child and can be heard in the video ordering the girl to get off the bus.
"There was a large bang and a few screams about the bus, then I saw he had smashed the window, the one right near the French girl,'' Mr Nayna said.
Passengers were shaken and afraid for their safety as they shouted at the bus driver to drive off.
Mr Nayna said he yelled at the bus driver to leave the scene.
"The main thing was to get away from the danger, I just said 'close the back door and drive off!'" he said.
Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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