A man wearing a fox tail tried to pull down a woman’s trousers in the street, police said.
The suspect approached the alleged victim, who is aged in her 20s, near London's Tate Modern art gallery.
When she resisted, he attempted to pick her up by grabbing at her legs.
He then “calmly walked away” after a passing couple intervened, London's Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
The suspect is described as tall, white and aged in his 30s, with “an animal tail like a fox tail sticking out from the back of a trouser pocket, or attached to his trousers”.
“Thankfully the woman targeted by the suspect was not physically harmed, but this assault has nonetheless and unsurprisingly left her shaken," said Detective Constable Nick Heywood, who is leading the investigation. "I am confident the suspect would have stood out at that time of day in an area predominantly populated by workers from local businesses who were on their lunch break.
“I am keen to speak to the two people who came to the woman’s aid as they may hold information that could progress this investigation.”
The couple who helped the woman are described as Spanish-speaking and aged in their 50s.
Officers said they were not aware of any other incidents involving the man wearing a fox tail.
The alleged sexual assault is said to have taken place shortly after midday on Thursday 15 July.
“A woman, aged in her 20s, was walking on Holland Street towards Sumner Street when a man approached her and attempted to pull down her trousers,” said a police spokesperson. “She resisted and then the man bent down and attempted to pick her up by grabbing at her legs.”
