A group of Tube passengers who kicked and dragged a man off the carriage after he removed his trousers are being investigated by police.
In a video shared online, a man who was later detained under the Mental Health Act, can be seen being kicked and thrown to the floor by passengers on a District Line train in east London last week.
British Transport Police (BTP) said officers are treating the incident as an assault and are appealing for witnesses.
The clip shows several passengers kicking the man against the carriage door after he exposed his genitals and buttocks and repeatedly refused to pull up his trousers.
Onlookers could be seen moving out of the way as the fight broke out during the eastbound journey between Upton Park and East Ham on Thursday at around 3.30pm.
The man had reportedly been yelling and placing a belt around his neck during the journey and then dropped his trousers.
At the start of the video the man can be seen swearing and shouting when he was challenged by a passenger.
A passenger stood up and confronted him and firmly told him: “You need to get off the train.” But the man yelled back: “F*** off.”
The commuter said in response: “What do you mean "f*** off"? You need to get off the f***ing train. Now. There are kids on here.”
It then escalated into a fight, and he was pinned to the carriage floor and dragged off the Tube onto the platform.
An off-duty police officer arrested the man after passengers alerted London Underground staff.
The BTP are now investigating whether passengers who confronted the man committed any criminal offences. However, no arrests have been made so far.
A BTP spokesperson said: “The man had been assaulted by a number of other passengers and was initially arrested by an off-duty officer, before being detained under the Mental Health Act and taken to hospital where he remains having been sectioned.
“One man involved in the assault has been interviewed by officers, and the investigation into the incident is ongoing.”
“Anyone who witnessed what happened, who hasn't already spoken to police, is asked to contact BTP by texting 61016 quoting ref 458 of 07/08/25.”
