A disturbing altercation on an east London Tube has sparked a police investigation, after passengers forcibly removed a man from a District Line carriage.
The incident, captured on a video widely shared online, unfolded last Thursday at around 3.30pm between Upton Park and East Ham stations.
The footage shows a man, later detained under the Mental Health Act, being kicked, pinned to the floor, and dragged off the train by several passengers.
British Transport Police (BTP) confirmed they are treating the matter as an assault and are appealing for witnesses. Officers are also examining whether those who physically confronted the man could face criminal charges.
Shocking scenes mid-commute
According to witnesses, the man had been shouting, swearing, and even placing a belt around his neck before dropping his trousers and exposing himself.
His refusal to dress prompted a heated exchange with a passenger who stood up and told him, “You need to get off the train.”
The man’s response was blunt: “F*** off.”
The passenger shot back: “What do you mean ‘f*** off’? You need to get off the f***ing train. Now. There are kids on here.”
The row quickly escalated. Passengers forced him against the carriage door, while onlookers moved away in alarm. Moments later, he was dragged onto the platform.
Police statement
An off-duty police officer, alerted by London Underground staff, arrested the man on the platform. He was later sectioned and taken to the hospital.
A BTP spokesperson said: “The man had been assaulted by a number of other passengers and was initially arrested by an off-duty officer, before being detained under the Mental Health Act and taken to hospital, where he remains having been sectioned.
One man involved in the assault has been interviewed by officers, and the investigation into the incident is ongoing.”
Call for witnesses
BTP is urging anyone with information who has not yet spoken to the police to come forward. “Anyone who witnessed what happened, who hasn’t already spoken to police, is asked to contact BTP by texting 61016 quoting ref 458 of 07/08/25.”
The unsettling nature of the violent confrontation inside a packed commuter train has left many passengers shaken. While some argue the group acted out of public safety concerns, police stress that vigilante behaviour can still cross the line into criminality.
