Police Launch Investigation After Filming Incident on Manchester Bus

On May 3, 2025, in Manchester, a mother was confronted by a man filming her as she breastfed her four-month-old daughter on a Bee Network bus. The young mother, 27-year-old Hamidat Soliu, faced a barrage of verbal abuse from the man when she asked him to stop filming.

While on her way to a friend's house, Hamidat’s daughter began to cry. As she prepared to feed her, another passenger alerted her that a man was zooming in on her with his camera.

Hamidat demanded an explanation, but the man, clad in a hi-vis vest, ignored her and continued the video recording. Numerous passengers then intervened, expressing their outrage towards the man’s actions.

Footage captured showed the confrontation escalating, with the man insisting he had deleted the video. When pressed for proof, he responded aggressively, claiming: "F*** off, you're not touching my phone, who do you think you are? You're not the police." He further claimed, "I'm English... and I live here."

Following the incident, the bus driver intervened and had the man removed from the bus. Hamidat later reported the incident to the police.

Reflecting on her experience, Hamidat, originally from Nigeria, expressed that the ordeal left her feeling "horrible" and uncomfortable for breastfeeding in public. She stated, "I felt as if I'd done something wrong." She further criticized the man’s justification for filming her, questioning how he could assert rights over her personal space simply based on his nationality.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed they are investigating the incident after contacting Hamidat. A spokesperson stated that no arrests have been made and they believe it to be an isolated occurrence.

In the wake of the event, Hamidat's videos of the incident went viral on TikTok, garnering over 5.7 million views. Many commenters expressed support, stating that breastfeeding in public should not be stigmatized, while also commending those who defended Hamidat.

Anyone with information regarding the bus incident is encouraged to contact the police at 101, quoting log 2491 03/05/25, or to reach out to Crimestoppers anonymously at 0800 555 111.

Danny Vaughan, chief network officer for Transport for Greater Manchester, added: “Making public transport safer and tackling gender-based violence is a priority for us, and we are committed to supporting the police in their investigation.”