ABC newsreader subjected to racial rant on bus

Newsreader: Jeremy Fernandez

A newsreader who works for the ABC in Sydney was kicked off a bus after he was the target of an abusive, racial-rant by a fellow passenger.

Jeremy Fernandez claims that he asked the female passenger to keep an eye on her young daughter who he says was repeatedly hitting his daughter over head.

It's understood that the woman took offence  and started shouting at Fernandez: "How dare you? What are you doing looking at my daughter? Have you been touching her, have you? Do you fancy five-year-olds?"

Fernandez said that he was going to move seats to avoid the irate passenger. However the woman then proceeded to call hiim a "black c***" and told him to "go back to his own country".

The newsreader then decided not to move saying he was drawing on the example of US civil rights activist Rosa Parks.

However, the bus driver then asked Fernandez to move from his seat or get off the bus. "You, get out of your seat and move."

Fernandez replied: "I'm not moving anywhere, I haven't done anything and I'm staying on this bus because I have a right to be here, and she just called me a black c-word so I'm staying put".

According to the ABC News journalist, his two-year-old daughter who was traveling with him, heard the racist rant in full and had to "hold his nerve" for the sake of the young girl. 

State Transit has been in contact with the ABC to try to speak with Jeremy and get the full details of the incident.

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