Tube driver who chanted 'free, free Palestine' suspended as TfL launches investigation

23 October 2023, 18:14 | Updated: 23 October 2023, 18:44

The Central Line driver led the chants 'free, free Palestine' over the weekend
The Central Line driver led the chants 'free, free Palestine' over the weekend. Picture: Alamy/Getty
Kieran Kelly

By Kieran Kelly

A London Underground driver who chanted 'free, free Palestine' over the weekend has been suspended by Transport for London pending further investigation.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The incident happened on Saturday as around 100,000 protesters took part in a pro-Palestinian demonstration.

Footage posted online by a journalist appeared to show the chant being led over the train's speaker system.

The driver of the Central Line service said "free, free" to which the passengers responded "Palestine" - a popular chant at protests.

Posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, the video shows a Central line driver leading Tube passengers into a chant of “free Palestine” using the train’s announcement system.

Passengers on board are shown joining in and finishing the chant before the driver continues “hope you all have a blessed day today and look after yourself”."Keep all those people in your prayers," the driver finally adds.

Read More: No new powers for police, No10 says, as Braverman probes why Met allowed 'jihad' chant during pro-Palestine protest

Read More: Tube driver investigated after leading passengers in ‘free Palestine chant’

Glynn Barton, Transport for London's chief operating officer, said: "We have been urgently and thoroughly investigating the footage appearing to show a Tube driver misusing the PA system and leading chants on a Central line train on Saturday.

"A driver has now been identified and suspended whilst we continue to fully investigate the incident in line with our policies and procedures."