Racial, religious hate crime on UK public transport rises The Guardian reveals surge

New data obtained by The Guardian reveals a troubling surge in racial and religious hate crimes on public transport in the UK, with many passengers limiting their daily journeys out of fear of abuse or assault. Community groups report that people are adjusting travel routes or avoiding certain times to stay safe, highlighting how public spaces are increasingly sites of targeted hostility.

British Transport Police figures obtained via a freedom of information request show racial hate crime across England, Wales, and Scotland rose from 2,827 cases in 2019-20 to 3,258 in 2024-25. Religious hate crime, primarily targeting Muslims, increased from 343 cases in 2019-20 to 419 in 2023-24 before dipping slightly to 372 the following year. Experts warn these figures likely represent “the tip of the iceberg,” as many incidents go unreported.

Public transport can amplify risks, allowing aggressors to isolate targets in confined spaces and escape at the next stop. Courtney, travelling by train from Glasgow, shared her experience: “I didn’t think anything of it, I had my earphones in and was just choosing music. Out of nowhere, she began making racist remarks, which got progressively louder after she put on a face mask. I stayed quiet because I was genuinely taken aback, you never expect that kind of hostility from a stranger.” 

When the woman sprayed Dettol disinfectant at her, Courtney began recording: “But what prompted me to start recording was when she took out a Dettol disinfectant spray and sprayed it in my direction. At that point, I felt I needed to document what was happening for my own safety.” She added that support from fellow passengers matters most: “The most helpful thing by far is to show the targeted person that they’re not alone. Just standing beside the person or checking in with them can completely change how supported they feel.”

Akeela Ahmed, chief executive of the British Muslim Trust, said these trends are reflected nationwide: “For visible Muslims in particular, the top deck of a bus or a half-empty train carriage can mean threatening behaviour, verbal abuse or even violent attack simply because of their faith.” She added that many Muslims now feel compelled “to micro-analyse every movement, expression or gesture out of fear that it may be misinterpreted, recorded and weaponised against them.”

Carol Young, deputy director of the Scottish anti-racism charity Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights, noted that public transport may feel unsafe for many, causing some to restrict travel. Dave Rich of the Community Safety Trust linked the rise in hate crime to geopolitical tensions, noting it “aligns with the rise in antisemitic hate crime since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October of that year.”

British Transport Police stressed that abuse, intimidation, and violence—particularly hate-motivated incidents—will never be tolerated, and that they act swiftly and decisively when reports of hate crimes on the rail network are received. They also urged victims or witnesses of such incidents not to suffer in silence.

By Jeyhun Aghazada