Finsbury Park, London – A Muslim woman and prominent campaigner, Maz Saleem has come forward to expose systemic failures and institutional racism within the British Transport Police (BTP) Finsbury Park, following a violent, racist and islamophobic attack on the London Underground by Gary Graham, who has pleaded guilty to the charges.

Despite the victim providing video evidence and the presence of a key witness, the tube conductor, BTP officers failed to interview him as part of their investigation. The attack took place in October 2023. The case languished for over a year, with the police taking action only after the victim reported them to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). The perpetrator, a known racist, pleaded guilty in November 2024 and eventually fined a mere £400, payable in monthly instalments of £50. A penalty the victim describes as “a joke.”

The victim, who suffers from severe PTSD and physical injuries including whiplash, feels deeply let down by the police. “This isn’t just about one attack. It’s about systemic institutional racism. Islamophobia is rife, and the institutions that are supposed to protect us are failing us. I had to push and escalate my complaint just to get them to take this seriously.”

The survivor also revealed a disturbing pattern of neglect from officers assigned to her case. Despite being located just across the road from the police station, she was forced to visit the station in person to meet with Sergeant Samantha Lowes. Another officer, PC Momota, has never met her, yet she repeatedly received emails claiming the officers were “on holiday.”

Her trauma is further compounded by personal history—her late father, Mohammed Saleem, was murdered in 2013 by Ukrainian Nazis in a brutal Islamophobic attack. “The PTSD from that tragedy is still raw, and this case has only added to it. I feel completely abandoned by the institutions that are supposed to protect people like me.”

Jeremy Corbyn and the victim’s local MP have been notified about this case, though no substantial action has been taken to date.

The victim is calling for a full investigation into how the British Transport Police handled her case, alongside systemic reforms to address the racism and Islamophobia embedded within the institution.

For further information, please contact: Mazcampaigner@gmail.com

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