Even When There’s No Evidence…

...that's still evidence. To some.

The driver was said to have slowed down to let Misbah Sadique, 37, and her friend Kulsum, cross the road. They were close to home in Waltham Forest and felt safe in a part of east London that they knew well. But, as they stepped out, the car in front of them suddenly, inexplicably, accelerated, one of the women later alleged. It is said that Kulsum was thrown to the ground by the force of the impact and that Misbah was dragged under the vehicle. She claims she was lucky to escape with breaks to her right ankle and foot, ribs and right arm, on top of extensive bruising and abrasions. Three weeks later, she remains in hospital, traumatised and facing a long road to recovery.

The story doesn't mention whther this occurred at a crossing. Which is strange. But the police acted promptly. 

The driver, who did not leave the scene, gave a statement by the side of the road and the police have categorised what happened as a road traffic incident. No arrests were made.

Just one of those things. But wait! 

But Misbah and Kulsum had both been wearing hijabs.

Aha! The game (of victimhood) is afoot! 

Misbah, who has given a statement to the police in recent days, is calling, with the support of her family and the charity, The Islamophobia Response Unit, for the incident on 1 February to be further investigated as a potential hate crime.

Well, sorry, but they already did. And found no evidence of that at all. 

The Met said officers did open a hate crime investigation in response to concerns raised with them. “However, our investigation – including viewing of CCTV – leads us to believe that the women were not in any way deliberately targeted,” said Ch Supt Simon Crick, who is in charge of policing Waltham Forest.

“This was an unfortunate road traffic collision.”

The police said they had asked specialists to review the case as well but that they had come to the same conclusion.

 QED? Well, no, Reader, of course not.

But that Misbah should consider someone capable of running her down purely due to her faith might be in itself be regarded as a damning insight into modern Britain.

Well, it's a damning insight into something, all right. But I really don't think it's modern Britain.