A London Underground driver has escaped the sack after he led pro-Palestine chants over his train’s tannoy. It comes after the incident went viral in October with video footage showing the driver chanting “free, free, free” before some in one of the Tube carriages responded with “Palestine”.
TFL suspended the driver following the incident and launched an investigation which has seen the London public transport operator discipline but not sack him.
A spokesman for TFL said it had undertaken a “thorough internal investigation in accordance with our agreed formal processes”.
He said: “Disciplinary action has been taken with regard to the driver who made announcements on the Central line on October 21 last year.
“The driver has also written to faith groups that we have been engaging with since October to apologise for the announcements and for the impact they had on some customers travelling on the train and in the wider community.
“It is critically important to everyone at TFL that our network feels, and is, a safe and welcoming place for all Londoners.
“We will do all we can to continue to ensure that.”
Following the decision, Sadiq Khan’s Conservative rival for this year’s London Mayoral Election, Susan Hall, slammed TFL for its decision.
She told The Sun: “Personally, I would term that as gross misconduct. It’s not for someone to spout that sort of thing as a train driver. To make comments like that which can cause that amount of problems on a train is totally unacceptable.
“It’s a situation that is highly flammable, anyone on that train who was Jewish would’ve felt very frightened. What he said was absolutely outrageous.”
A spokesman for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said he felt the incident could have made Jewish passengers uncomfortable.
He said: “This driver’s conduct was grossly unprofessional.
“Imagine being a Jewish person on that train, not only intimidated by the numerous demonstrators around you but also in the knowledge that you might not be able to rely on the very TFL staff tasked with your safety.
“This incident was a disgrace to TfL, and coming at a time of heightened tension in London, it was downright dangerous. TFL should have fired this driver.
“Jewish passengers deserve to have confidence in the capital’s public transport just like everybody else.”
