Woman attacked on London Underground for speaking Spanish

Assailants demanded victim speak English in England.

A woman was attacked on a London Underground night train for speaking Spanish.

The 24-year-old was left with head injuries after she was set upon by two female passengers who pulled her hair during what police described as a “vicious” assault.

They told the woman she should be speaking English in England.

The incident – which is being treated as a racially-aggravated crime – occurred on the Central Line at 3.45am on Saturday. The woman suffered cuts to her face and scalp.

A spokesperson for British Transport Police said: “The victim – a 24-year-old woman – was talking to some friends in Spanish. Two nearby women heard her and started shouting at her, saying she should be talking English when in England.

“They then grabbed her hair and pulled her around by her hair. This resulted in injuries to her scalp and cuts to her face.

“The women were both black and had braided hair. They were believed to be in their late 20s and one was wearing a brown jacket, while the other was wearing a black jacket.

“The train was travelling from Liverpool Street to Stratford.”

Officers are looking at CCTV from the stations and would like to speak to anyone who was in the carriage.