Tube driver suspended for leading “Free Palestine” chant on Tube

It would have been quite frightening and could have led to a nasty situation - glad I wasn’t there. I hope he’s sacked.

Everyone should be free to travel on public transport without having someone else’s ideology belted out over the tannoy system.

I have seen the footage and it was a packed tube train, and looked and sounded extremely intimidating.

Good hope he's sacked. Sounded like incitement, there's a law against that. Bet he's let off with a slap on the wrist.

If you work with the public your personal views are not allowed to be foisted on others. It's common sense as in this case it became inflammatory and must have caused some of those passengers to fear what may happen.

I have several trips round the capital booked in the coming weeks. I don't want to be hearing any of this dire stuff on my journeys.

And Diane Abbott just can't help herself can she?

From Twitter/X

Diane Abbott MP
@HackneyAbbott
Tube driver who led chant of 'free, free Palestine' on an Underground train is suspended. Would this have happened if he was chanting “Free Ukraine” ?

Until a driver chants "Free Ukraine" over the tannoy to a packed tube train we'll never know, but she's not so stupid as to not know this was provocative, and could be even frightening to any Jewish people on the train. I'd rather the driver was concentrating on the driving that he's paid to do, not making political statements.

Her antisemitic views surfaced in April, and caused her to have the whip suspended. She apologised and withdrew them saying it was because an initial draft had been sent. An initial draft that exposed her antisemitism.

news.sky.com/story/diane-abbott-accused-of-hateful-antisemitism-after-suggesting-jews-do-not-face-racism-12864141

Of course Diane Abbott is trying to be provocative. She has already said she will not be standing for re-election, so she has nothing to loose.

People have a right to express their beliefs as individuals in their own time but not as public officers in the course of their occupation. It was a very unprofessional thing to do. I dont believe he should be sacked but he should certainly be given further training on how to conduct himself in a public facing role.

If I’d done this at my tax payer funded employment, I’m sure I’d have been sacked (quite rightly as well). It’s just wrong to impose personal views on the public.

I can’t imagine how any Jewish passengers might have felt. I don’t know anyone who isn’t distressed by the situation in Israel and Gaza. This kind of partisan chanting led by a train driver is irresponsible and wrong

Regardless of the politics behind his actions it's clear his mind was diverted from his job - driving a train and keeping passengers safe. He should be sacked immediately.

How intimidating for any Jewish commuter, or imagine a Jewish person who challenged that, a possible nasty scenario, an absolute massive over stepping of the mark by a person employed by a public body expressing a partisan view in a public place. Of course anyone is entitled to their private allegiances, but this was provocative in a world where Jews are reliving elements of 1930s Germany. Definitely should be sacked, an example needs to be made in case others may follow suit.

I agree with previous posts.

Notwithstanding the fact this could be intimidating, driving a train requires concentration and his mind was not on his job.
He is entitled to his views but not to express them at work in a job which involves a responsibility for all the public, whoever they may be.

Yes, he should be sacked.

Diane Abbott is not standing for re election. Best news I’ve heard all morning.

No, the driver was completely out of order. I would have been very afraid and got off the train at the next stop.

A few tube drivers do come over the tannoy to cheer passengers up, so I assume they are able to do this without endangering them in any way. Quite often on a Saturday afternoon the central line tube from Stratford had a driver who used to make jokes about Arsenal or Spurs to the delight of the Hammers fans on board. I'm sure there's a singing London tube driver I saw on tv once.
But anything political is out of order.

It’s not a train driver’s job to chant political slogans, crack jokes, entertain generally or cheer people up!
I’d rather they just kept quiet and drove the train.

Hasn't he been sacked yet?

Here is. MET police advisor leading the chant of To the river to the sea 😡

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12712683/Hard-Left-activist-led-river-sea-chant-pro-Palestine-rally-Met-Police-adviser-leadership-coordinator-Scotland-Yard-says-support-Israel-investigated-hate-crime.html

More embarrassment for the MET.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12713273/Met-Police-investigating-leadership-coordinator-Scotland-Yard-said-support-Israel-hate-crime-force-sacks-hard-left-advisor-led-river-sea-chant-pro-Palestine-rally.html

MerylStreep

Here is. MET police advisor leading the chant of To the river to the sea 😡

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12712683/Hard-Left-activist-led-river-sea-chant-pro-Palestine-rally-Met-Police-adviser-leadership-coordinator-Scotland-Yard-says-support-Israel-investigated-hate-crime.html

At last , the Met have dumped him. Not before time.

He should be sacked.