An argument over a transport card ended with an alleged racist attack by a bus driver against a North African woman and her three children on a Barcelona bus. The victim testified in court that he insulted her, pulled her veil, and called her a whore and a slut, all while traveling with her underage children. A witness corroborated her account. The incident occurred on May 29, 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The woman described how the man became enraged, directing his anger toward her and the children as the situation escalated.
The prosecution seeks ten months of imprisonment, a disqualification from public office, fines, and 1,385 euros in damages for the woman and her children. The charges include crimes against moral integrity and several minor offenses. The transportation authority, Barcelona Metropolitan Transport (TMB), argued that the driver acted as an individual rather than in his official capacity when stepping onto the street; this stance suggests a potential secondary liability in the case. The defendant, however, denied assault or insults, asserting that his actions were only meant to remove the family from the vehicle and that he had attempted to photograph the scene to defend himself against what he contends were attacks by the woman. He later claimed he did not act with racist motives and that his intent was only to hold the family responsible for the disturbances and ensure accountability.
The prosecutor maintained that the accused behaved with contempt and intolerance, targeting the woman’s cultural identity and that of her family. The remarks about origin and tradition, the manner in which the comments were delivered, and the setting — with the family subjected to the hostility of other passengers — were cited as evidence of the underlying motive and the impact on the environment aboard the bus.
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The woman and her children were traveling on the Line V bus from Plaza Alfons Comín to Barceloneta, around 18:10. One of their transport cards had expired, and the driver asked them to pay for the ride. According to the prosecution, the accused gradually escalated the confrontation, shouting that the family should leave the bus and that they enjoyed living in the country without paying. The reversals of behavior, the tension, and the escalation culminated in the family disembarking due to illness and distress suffered by the mother and her children.
The driver then stopped the vehicle for a short distance, exited with his phone in hand, and began taking photographs of the complainant and her children. The difference in accounts became apparent: the driver testified that his intent was to document the exchanges in order to defend himself against what he described as aggressive behavior from the woman, while the complainant emphasized that the act involved attempts to photograph and physically touch them in a manner that violated their dignity. She recalled that, during the incident, the driver pulled at her veil and directed insults toward the family, including statements suggesting they should go back to their country. Her eldest daughter supported the mother’s description, noting that the driver repeatedly looked at them through the rear view mirror while the abuse continued. The daughter added that the family felt exposed and anxious as they endured the exchanges.
The trial has proceeded with both sides presenting their versions of events. The defense argued that the photographing was defensive, not an act of aggression, and that there was no physical assault. The prosecution, by contrast, asserted that the driver forcibly touched or grabbed members of the family and used demeaning language that singled out their origin and status. The court is expected to determine liability and assign sentence based on the evidence and testimonies presented during the proceedings.