US Army veteran blames Brexit vote for tram race hate incident

A US Army veteran racially abused on a tram says Brexit "maybe has pushed people to somehow justify that they think it's OK now to act out in this way".

Juan Jasso was targeted by three youths as shocked commuters looked on during the incident on a tram in Manchester city centre on Tuesday morning.

The sport lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University and rugby league coach has spoken of how he decided to confront the rowdy passengers for using bad language.

Footage taken by a fellow commuter shows one youth telling Mr Jasso: "Don't chat s*** when you're not even from England, you little f****** immigrant. Get off the f****** tram now. Get back to Africa."

One of the youths, who all appear to be holding bottles of beer, then approaches and flicks alcohol from the bottle at his victim.

As the youths get off, Mr Jasso says "seven years in the military", as other commuters tell the three: "You are an absolute disgrace. A disgrace to England."

The youths walk away shouting: "Salford! F****** immigrant!"

Mr Jasso, from Todmorden, Yorkshire, who was a signals intelligence analyst for the US Army, told Channel 4 News: "It was a bit of a surreal moment because initially it was just me asking those individuals just to watch their language.

"Obviously it was really early in the morning, there was children about and I could tell from other people's faces on the tram they didn't really appreciate the language which they were using. So I thought I would step up and say something, and I didn't really appreciate it either."

Mr Jasso, who has worked with the London Broncos rugby league team, said he did not feel threatened by the youths but said it was up to individuals to decide what they would do in a similar situation.

He said: "Obviously you don't know what can happen from a situation whenever you challenge anyone because you don't know who they are, their background or anything, and how they are going to react."

Asked if the thought the political atmosphere surrounding Brexit had contributed to the situation, Mr Jasso said: "I think there was an undertone there before this Brexit and the voting within the referendum but I think the result maybe has pushed people to somehow justify that they think it's OK now to act out in this way which obviously it's not.

"It's not acceptable in any terms, in any way, shape or form because obviously people feel threatened by it and, you know, people are coming here to contribute.

"And no matter what anybody says they have that right to come here and choose to live here and they should not be discriminated for that."

Mr Jasso said it was only the second incident of its type he had experienced in his 18 years in the UK.

He said: "It hasn't affected me in any way, shape or form because I have a little girl here now and I consider this my home, and I have got many many friends here, friends who I consider my family. I know a lot of people here and this place for me is now my home."

Within hours of the footage emerging, Greater Manchester Police arrested two men, aged 20 and 18, and a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of affray.

They remain in custody for questioning.