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Police arrest three over footage of racial abuse on Manchester tram Police arrest three over footage of racial abuse on Manchester tram
(about 3 hours later)
Police have made arrests following the hunt three people seen on camera racially abusing a man on a tram. A US Army veteran racially abused on a tram says Brexit “maybe has pushed people to somehow justify that they think it’s OK now to act out in this way”.
The victim, who appears to be of mixed race, had beer thrown at him and was abused by the youths as shocked commuters looked on during the incident in Manchester city centre on Tuesday morning. Juan Jasso was targeted by three youths as shocked commuters looked on during the incident on a tram in Manchester city centre on Tuesday morning.
Within hours of the footage emerging, police said three people, two men aged 20 and 18 and a boy aged 16, had been arrested on suspicion of affray. The sport lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University and rugby league coach has spoken of how he decided to confront the rowdy passengers for using bad language.
They were in custody for questioning, Greater Manchester police (GMP) said. Footage taken by a fellow commuter shows one youth telling Jasso: “Don’t chat shit when you’re not even from England, you little fucking immigrant. Get off the fucking tram now. Get back to Africa.”
Footage shows one youth telling the victim: “Don’t chat shit when you’re not even from England, you little fucking immigrant. Get off the fucking tram now. Get back to Africa.”
One of the youths, who all appear to be holding bottles of beer, then approaches and flicks alcohol from the bottle at his victim.One of the youths, who all appear to be holding bottles of beer, then approaches and flicks alcohol from the bottle at his victim.
As the youths get off, the victim says to himself: “Seven years in the military,” as other commuters tell the three: “You are an absolute disgrace. A disgrace to England.” As the youths get off, Jasso says “seven years in the military”, as other commuters tell the three: “You are an absolute disgrace. A disgrace to England.”
The youths walk away shouting: “Salford! Fucking immigrant!”The youths walk away shouting: “Salford! Fucking immigrant!”
Ch Insp Gareth Parkin from GMP said: “I would like to thank the public for their help and support in this investigation, which has led to the swift arrest of these three people. Jasso, from Todmorden, Yorkshire, who was a signals intelligence analyst for the US Army, told Channel 4 News: “It was a bit of a surreal moment because initially it was just me asking those individuals just to watch their language.
“All hate incidents are treated with the upmost severity and this behaviour will not be tolerated in Greater Manchester.” “Obviously it was really early in the morning, there was children about and I could tell from other people’s faces on the tram they didn’t really appreciate the language which they were using. So I thought I would step up and say something, and I didn’t really appreciate it either.”
Greater Manchester’s mayor and police and crime commissioner, Tony Lloyd, said: “People across Greater Manchester will condemn racist attacks which have been reported in different parts of the country in the wake of the EU referendum result. Jasso, who has worked with the London Broncos rugby league team, said he did not feel threatened by the youths but said it was up to individuals to decide what they would do in a similar situation.
“While Greater Manchester police have said they have not seen an increase in reports of hate crime over the weekend, we are now starting to hear stories of people being abused because of their race, religion or nationality. He said: “Obviously you don’t know what can happen from a situation whenever you challenge anyone because you don’t know who they are, their background or anything, and how they are going to react.”
“There is no room in Greater Manchester for hatred and division. We have worked hard, together, to build strong, cohesive, and welcoming communities. I encourage anyone who has been a victim of hate crime to come forward and report it. Asked if the thought the political atmosphere surrounding Brexit had contributed to the situation, Jasso said: “I think there was an undertone there before this Brexit and the voting within the referendum but I think the result maybe has pushed people to somehow justify that they think it’s OK now to act out in this way, which obviously it’s not.
“Hate crime has no place in our society. The overwhelming majority of British people stand together against hatred and prejudice. These acts of racism are not in our name and will not be tolerated.” “It’s not acceptable in any terms, in any way, shape or form because obviously people feel threatened by it and, you know, people are coming here to contribute.
Anyone with information on the incident or other hate crime is asked to call to police immediately on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. “And no matter what anybody says they have that right to come here and choose to live here and they should not be discriminated for that.”
Jasso said it was only the second incident of its type he had experienced in his 18 years in the UK.
He said: “It hasn’t affected me in any way, shape or form because I have a little girl here now and I consider this my home, and I have got many many friends here, friends who I consider my family. I know a lot of people here and this place for me is now my home.”
Within hours of the footage emerging, Greater Manchester police arrested two men, aged 20 and 18, and a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of affray. They remain in custody for questioning.