Read and despair!

I agree, Eleothan - I am aware of some prejudices in myself (mainly against Islamic treatment of women) but I don't let it influence my bahaviour towards individual muslim men, each one of whom might dislike parts of their culture as much as I do.
I'm not sure I would mind being called Snowflake as there is not, generally, any negative connation attached to being white, at least in the UK.

I've also had the same experience with a taxi driver - though not in London. I was going with my mum in a taxi to the eye clinic where she lives (in Suffolk). Somehow the conversation got round to the fact that the driver had moved from London several years before. He then started to slag London off - how it had been taken over by immigrants, what a dump it was, etc., etc. I informed him that my neighbours were from all different parts of the world and we all got along pretty well.

Like Mishap I do think that people who suddenly "flip" in this way have got mental health problems.

I think racism is different from prejudice. A postman said, in the comments following the article, that he had been called "Pinky" and "Snowflake" by his black colleagues. This could be construed as prejudice but I don't think it can be described as racism because I believe racism is prejudice + power. If people are prejudiced against, that is unpleasant, but if that prejudice is then translated into discriminatory practices, for instance in the judicial system, the employment market, the education system, etc., etc., that is racism.

I suffered an anti-immigrant rant by the cab driver at Kings X. Apparently all the bad drivers in London are immigrants and they all get houses the moment they step on to British soil and that's why there are no council houses anywhere.

I began to try and challenge the sweeping generalisations but he just gabbled on with his ill informed statements!

I see there is one consequence of the financial crisis - it appears that East Europeans are not so keen to live in Britain! So the dire predictions about them flooding in might not be realised.

She really didn't seem quite well. Her sentiments were objectionable but many people hold racist views without this sort of ranting - she could have a mental health problem.

You are always going to get people who behave in this stupid and irrational way, it's not confined to any one racial group. Lately we have had hard line Muslims "policing" their so called turf, areas around Tower Hamlets, asking women to cover up and telling young men who they perceived to be gay that they wont tolerate faggots near their mosques. I think we would all agree both examples of this type of prejudice should not be tolerated.

Although a lot of people were horrified at her language they agreed with her sentiment.
I have two friends who were so PC several years ago that they were a pain in the a#*e. To hear them speak now in relation to immigration, it's hard to believe they are the same people.

Apart from the truly awful comments , I was shocked that nobody tried to stop this woman. I can understand people being afraid to confront a bunch of violent youths, but surely a couple of people could have told this woman to shut up.

I don't suppose anywhere will ever be completely free of racism and other unreasoning hatred. There will always be those who blame the problems they perceive in their lives – whether simply circumstances or of their own creation – on others and others who are easily identifiable are the prime target. Orthodox Jews, black people, Asian people, Sikhs, some gays, some lesbians, women, goths and, undoubtedly, many others are all easy targets for WASPS (and similar). Sadly, it was ever thus and I think it unlikely that human nature will ever change.