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Ryanair abuse: Rochester man films racist rant

The man who filmed a racist attack on-board a Ryanair jet has said he will not fly with the airline again unless its policies on abusive passengers change.

David Lawrence said he feels "hurt, disappointed and let down" by the company's response to the footage he filmed on Friday, which has gone viral on social media.

The 56-year-old, from Rochester, watched on in horror as an elderly West Indian woman received racist abuse in which she was described as "ugly" by a fellow passenger.

Speaking to KentOnline, Mr Lawrence said he is "disgusted" by reports the man may not face prosecution.

He said: "Here we are again, a major crime unchecked and unpunished.

"This is going to be a blow to the family, a blow to black people in Britain, and a blow to black people around the world.

"Ryanair has got a lot of work to do - major changes need to be made very quickly."

Mr Lawrence, who was returning from a business trip at the time of the attack, added that he himself feels "abused" by the language used.

He said: "This was a racist attack, and I as a Caribbean man had to go through the trauma of listening to this man without any of the security Ryanair was supposed to provide.

"I didn’t feel protected, I didn’t feel looked after, there was nothing."

The man hurling abuse on the Ryanair flight. Picture: David Lawrence
The man hurling abuse on the Ryanair flight. Picture: David Lawrence

He added: "Four million views don't lie.

"It's imperative that people continue to capture and film, to make sure that the public can see what's going on behind closed doors."

An Essex Police spokesman said: "We have worked to identify both parties involved in this incident and passed this information to the Spanish authorities, who are leading on this investigation.

"Our officers will continue to provide assistance where necessary throughout the course of this case."

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