22-year old man goes viral after defending Muslim woman targeted by racists

zainab quadri

November 18, 2015 11:13 AM

A 22-year old man has gone viral after defending and protecting a Muslim woman targeted by racists in London train.

22-year old Man goes viral after defending Muslim woman targeted by racists

Ashley Powys, 22, from London, was on a train leaving from Oxford Circus to Stockwell when he had sat opposite a young girl wearing a hijab. They exchanged smiles, but nothing was said.

And suddenly Ashley noticed the girl a voice from behind him said ‘F***ing p***’ quite loudly.

Ashely who narrated the ordeal on Facebook said: This man was reeling off abuse calling her things like ‘rag-head’, ‘terrorist’, ‘scum’, and saying that ‘her people’ murdered the victims of the Paris attacks this weekend.’

Without thinking, Ashley stood and pushed him away from her.

The man turned his attention to Ashley, calling him a ‘terrorist sympathiser’ among other things.

Ashley sat next to the girl, and asked her what her name was. With tears in her eyes, she told him her name was Yara.

As the man continued to shout abuse at her, Ashley decided to try and distract her.

‘I distracted her asking about her day, and other small-talk topics, all the while making sure I was a barrier between her and this guy, so he didn’t have direct access to harm her.’

When the train got to Ashley’s stop, instead of getting of, he asked her if she’d like him to stay on until her stop.

Yara began to cry because of what she called his ‘tremendous kindness and bravery.’

When they finally reached Yara’s stop, Ashley escorted her off the train and took her to where her friends were meeting her, before asking her if she receives that sort of abuse often, which to his surprise she replied that she does.

‘I told her in confidence that there are many people like me, and she should never have to feel afraid in her own country. And this is her country, and her city.

Ashley finishes his post with an important reminder for everyone.

‘Please take care of each other. Both friends and strangers. You never know when you might need someone to do the same in return.’

The post has been shared over 18,000 times and has received more than 41,000 likes.

zainab quadri