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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/nov/29/london-night-bus-harassment-was-scary-woman-tells-court
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| London night bus harassment was scary, woman tells court | London night bus harassment was scary, woman tells court |
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| One of two women threatened by teenagers tells of incident that left them with facial injuries | One of two women threatened by teenagers tells of incident that left them with facial injuries |
| One of two women who were harassed and threatened by teenagers on a late-night London bus has told a court of her fears when she and her date were “physically cornered” and subjected to demands to show them how lesbians have sex. | One of two women who were harassed and threatened by teenagers on a late-night London bus has told a court of her fears when she and her date were “physically cornered” and subjected to demands to show them how lesbians have sex. |
| “It was scary and frankly I deal with a lot of harassment in London,” Christine Hannigan told Highbury youth court. | “It was scary and frankly I deal with a lot of harassment in London,” Christine Hannigan told Highbury youth court. |
| She said she initially ignored the teenagers – and had pretended to be sick while the other woman, Melania Ramirez, attempted to “de-escalate” the situation – but engaged with the group after coins began to be thrown and the incident escalated into a scuffle. | She said she initially ignored the teenagers – and had pretended to be sick while the other woman, Melania Ramirez, attempted to “de-escalate” the situation – but engaged with the group after coins began to be thrown and the incident escalated into a scuffle. |
| “Melania and I were clearly together in a romantic sense,” said Hannigan, who added that the teenagers had made a “scissoring” gesture which was taken to be homophobic. | |
| “They were being very aggressive verbally and then they made it physical.” | “They were being very aggressive verbally and then they made it physical.” |
| Giving evidence from behind a screen, Hannigan said verbal abuse was common and she had experience of that escalating into something physical. | Giving evidence from behind a screen, Hannigan said verbal abuse was common and she had experience of that escalating into something physical. |
| On Thursday three teenagers, aged 15, 16 and 17, admitted harassing and threatening Hannigan and Ramirez, who were left bloodied after the incident in the early hours of the morning on 30 May. A judge at Highbury youth court said the couple had caught the teenagers’ attention because they were a same-sex couple. | |
| However, evidence had to be given in court on Friday after one of the accused, 17, denied his actions were motivated by hostility based on the women’s sexual orientation. | However, evidence had to be given in court on Friday after one of the accused, 17, denied his actions were motivated by hostility based on the women’s sexual orientation. |
| CCTV footage of the incident, which occurred on the top deck of a bus in Camden, north London, was shown on Thursday. After Hannigan and Ramirez ascended the steps and took seats at the front of the bus, the teenagers were seen quickly moving from the back and taking up positions near the women in what the judge said was “like the tide washing in”. | CCTV footage of the incident, which occurred on the top deck of a bus in Camden, north London, was shown on Thursday. After Hannigan and Ramirez ascended the steps and took seats at the front of the bus, the teenagers were seen quickly moving from the back and taking up positions near the women in what the judge said was “like the tide washing in”. |
| Over nine minutes, the incident escalated into a scuffle before the teenagers got off and the women were left bloodied and without belongings, including a mobile phone. Both were taken to hospital for treatment to facial injuries. | Over nine minutes, the incident escalated into a scuffle before the teenagers got off and the women were left bloodied and without belongings, including a mobile phone. Both were taken to hospital for treatment to facial injuries. |
| The prosecution insists the women’s sexual orientation was an aggravating factor. | The prosecution insists the women’s sexual orientation was an aggravating factor. |
| David Wood, a solicitor representing the 17-year-old, took Hannigan through a police statement made shortly after the incident in which she told of standing up and telling the teenagers: “Keep throwing coins and see what happens.”She told in the statement she had walked down the bus and had been immediately punched by one of the teenagers. Hannigan, who was shown on CCTV footage of the incident throwing a blow, told the court on Friday her recollection of who threw the first punch was not accurate.But while her memories of the night may have been different from what she said at the time, Hannigan told the court that the coin throwing was the start of physical hostilities. “It turned into a fight because they were becoming physically aggressive with us,” she said. | |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |