London court convicts man after pleading guilty to abusing Muslim bus driver
Date
8/11/2024 4:42:25 AM
(MENAFN) A man who racially abused and spat at a Muslim bus driver in London has been convicted after admitting to his actions, the Metropolitan Police announced on Saturday. The incident, which garnered significant attention on social media, showed the man spitting at the driver and unleashing a barrage of Islamophobic slurs, repeatedly shouting "Muslim terrorist" and using offensive language. He also demanded that the driver exit the bus while aggressively hitting the protective screen.
According to the Metropolitan Police, the suspect, 39-year-old Michael Mongan, was quickly identified and arrested on August 9. Mongan was charged with a racially aggravated public order offense and criminal damage. He appeared in Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on Saturday, where he pleaded guilty to both charges. Mongan, who resides in Ealing, West London, has been remanded in custody and is scheduled for sentencing on August 13.
Detective Inspector Jonathan Potter of the Roads and Transport Policing Command expressed satisfaction with the swift action taken by the officers, stating that it should serve as a strong message that such behavior will be met with accountability. He emphasized that Mongan's rapid apprehension and forthcoming sentencing highlight the commitment to justice for such offenses.
The incident occurred amid a period of unrest in the UK, where violent far-right rioters have been targeting Muslims, minority groups, and immigrants with racist and Islamophobic rhetoric. This turmoil was exacerbated by false claims circulating online that the suspect in a July 29 stabbing of three children in Southport was a Muslim asylum seeker. The actual attacker, identified as Axel Rudakubana, a 17-year-old from Cardiff with Rwandan heritage, has not quelled the far-right violence. As of August 8, there have been 483 arrests and 149 charges related to the riots across England.
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