A shocking video which captures a violent confrontation between a group of racist thugs and two apparently Hispanic men on a Manchester bus journey has emerged online.
The 56-second recording captioned ‘Manchester bus fight – Spanish vs Mancs’, was filmed on the number 43 service from Piccadilly Gardens to Wythenshawe at approximately 5am on Thursday February 12.
The footage, which shows a man with a Manchester accent shouting ‘fuck off back to Spain’ and spitting on his victims, has already attracted more than 300 views on YouTube.
It even shows a young Mancunian woman swinging punches in a violent seemingly-race motivated attack – while holding a tray of chips in the other hand.
MULTI-TASKING: The girl throws punches while still holding her chips in the other hand
Ross Thompson, a 23-year-old doorman from Belfast who filmed the video on his mobile phone, claims the group of perpetrators had violence on the agenda from the outset – and how one of the gang already had dried blood on his face.
The gang were involved in a torrent of racial abuse to not only the two men in the video, but also to another man, unconnected to the original pair, who they believed was also Spanish.
They even subjected Mr Thompson to racial slurs, believing him to be Polish.
TAKING CONTROL: The man decides to follow up on the girl’s punch with some of his own abuse, finally knocking the chips out of her hand in the process
Speaking to MM, he said: “We all got on at Piccadilly. The two girls in the video were drunk and mouthing off at anyone and everyone, then hiding behind the guys they were with.
“The guy had dried blood on his face before he even got on the bus.”
Following the incident, Mr Thompson described how the couple who feature heavily in the video began arguing amongst themselves, with the man threatening to break the woman’s jaw, which initiated further hostilities when fellow passengers took issue.
ABUSE: The man’s torrent of abuse included numerous expletives and racial slurs
Mr Thompson claims he was also subject to abuse when the rowdy gang labeled him a ‘grass’ for having filmed the incident, before turning their attentions to another Hispanic gentleman on the bus and telling him to ‘fuck off back to Spain’ too.
The 23-year-old also explained how he had already been told by the same man earlier in the journey to ‘fuck off back to Poland’, and says it is not the first time he has been on the receiving end of such comments, having lived in Manchester for the past four years.
ATTACK: The man proceeds to throw punches over the balcony
The disturbing footage begins with a gaggle of people gathered towards the back of the bus.
The cause of the commotion is unclear as several individuals can be heard shouting, while bemused onlookers keep their heads down.
A young woman sitting on the back row, not actively involved in the argument, proudly aims a middle finger at the opportunist filmmaker.
The first insult comes as a young Mancunian woman’s voice yells: “Get off, get off, you faggots, get off. You Spanish cunts.”
RACE HATE: The man told numerous people on the bus ‘fuck off back to Spain’ and threw racial slurs at a man he assumed was Polish
The two apparently Spanish men, both wearing beanie hats and carrying backpacks, then turn and begin to exit the bus, before a local man is heard shouting: ‘Attack him, attack him.’
The second of the men is then attacked from behind by the woman, holding a tray full of chips in her left-hand while swinging wayward punches with her right.
The victim uses a hand to fend off the assailant but is then pursued by another man, sporting a dark blue bomber jacket with a silver chain swinging from his neck, who brushes past the woman, knocking her chips across the bus.
The violent local is then heard shouting ‘get off my girl bro,’ before throwing a punch at the victim as he attempts to exit the bus down the stairs.
MOB MENTALITY: The girl in the foreground throws a punch while holding chips in the other, while her friend laughs with delight and shouts abuse from behind
The situation is then reignited as the two briefly stand opposite one another, the latter taking on a boxing stance as the woman who initiated the fight shouts from behind her partner: “Go on then! Swear to God mate, swear to God.”
The victim initially begins to walk away, but returns to throw one last kick before hurrying back down the stairs.
The local then stands with his arms aloft shouting: “Attacking women, you faggot. Get off the bus”.
He then proceeds to spit at the two men as they flee down the staircase, shouting: “Suck yer mum, you faggot”.
SICKENING: The man proceeds to spit on his victims as they leave the bus
Mr Thompson told MM: “I’m sad to say that this kind of behaviour isn’t really all that shocking any more. I’ve witnessed racial abuse numerous times and been the victim of misguided abuse on multiple occasions where people assumed I was Polish.
“This gang were out for violence. The guy even had blood on his face before he got on the bus – it’s just an average night out for them.”
Shocked viewers have since left comments online about the uncomfortable footage.
One user wrote: “It’s been a good 20 years and nothing seems to have changed.”
Another wrote: “Very gritty. I can almost smell the heady cocktail of ignorance, xenophobia, Carling and chips.”
