Juliet Chowdhry, 42, was forced to sit through the horrifying torrent of abuse while her fellow passengers looked on and did nothing and so has chosen to speak out to urge people to intervene if they witness a hate crime. Mrs Chowdhry of Chigwell, Essex, claims the incident kicked off after she boarded the 150 bus in Ilford, east London, and found her route to the back of the bus blocked by the outstretched leg of an elderly man seated to the front of the vehicle. Seeking to avoid confrontation, the 42-year-old did not attempt to pass by and instead sat in a seat opposite the man, whom she described as being in his Seventies. 

She says he quickly began firing insults in her direction, calling her a “P***” and telling her to “go back to your own country”. 

He also told her “your people smell” before declaring “women like you should not sit anywhere near me” and labelling her ethnic minority community “disgusting creatures”. 

Speaking to Express.co.uk, Mrs Chowdhry said her daughters aged 15, 11 and nine have been jolted by their mum’s attack and “now fear using busses”. 

“I urge people of good conscience to intervene to protect victims of hate crime,” she said. 

“It is a very isolating experience and one that can wither the soul. The vulnerability of my recently fractured arm and small stature made me an easy target – but with help I am sure the elderly man would have stopped. 

“People should be helped irrespective of any vulnerability – we should all abhor such a distasteful crime.”

Mrs Chowdhry moved to the UK from her native Pakistan 17 years ago and along with her husband set up the British Pakistani Christian Association to campaign for the rights of persecuted minorities in the majority Muslim nation. 

Never did she imagine she would fall victim to a racist attack in the country she now calls home. 

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: Police are investigating an alleged racially aggravated public order offence on a 150 bus between Barkingside swimming pool and Chigwell Road at around6.30pm on November 3. 

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“The victim reports that she was verbally abused by a white man, aged around 70 years. 

“There has been no arrest at this stage.” 

Transport for London has been contacted for comment. 

Mrs Chowdhry’s eldest daughter Hannah was left incensed by the attack and decided to take action by writing to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan urging him to do more to tackle the rise of hate crime in London. 

Fifteen-year-old Hannah is calling for CCTV footage on public transport to record sound to aid investigations in to verbal abuse. 

Mrs Chowdhry said she has arrived at the conclusion that busses are no longer a safe mode of travel for her or her family to use. 

She added: “Being a Pakistani Christian I am used to discrimination in my homeland but now I know nowhere is safe. 

“I always thought London was a safe, cosmopolitan city but now I fear for my safety and that of my children.” 

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