Police probe ‘Nazi salute’ at Jewish train passenger wearing Ukraine badge

A Jewish woman has described the shocking moment a man performed a Nazi salute towards her on the London Underground after spotting her Ukraine solidarity badge.

Charlotte Salomon, 37, the deputy chair of Saffron Walden Conservatives Association, described the incident on Tuesday, as she headed to the House of Lords to attend an event celebrating women fighting antisemitism.

The incident, which has now been reported to the police, took place between Paddington and Baker Street. Salomon said the man, who looked to be in his early 30s, got on the train and proceeded to “stare” at her and her Ukrainian pin badge.

“He sat opposite me and stared at my pin,” she said, speaking to Jewish News. “Then he stood up, did a halfway-up arm salute, and moved further down the carriage. At first, I was puzzled, then I realised what the gesture was. I made eye contact with another passenger. They look confused as well.”

After the incident, she said she shared the abuse on Twitter and received supportive messages from friends and the wider Jewish community, but also received some offensive messages, including one, who said: “Heil Hitler,” before adding a swastika.

“I’ve become de-sensitised to this now, but it should be reported and acknowledged that the world is turning dark once again,” she said, adding that she was left wondering “how safe it is to walk around wearing a Ukrainian badge”.

Asked if this meant that she would stop wearing a Ukrainian pin, she was steadfast. “No, I’m not taking it off,” she insisted.