Elham Asaad Buaras
Police have arrested a 46-year-old man on December 2 after racist mock Pokémon stickers appeared in Underground Train Stations and Bus stops across London. The stickers, created under the name ‘Pakémon’, were spotted by “disgusted” commuters across the capital in November. They mimic the popular card and phone game where players are awarded points for collecting Pokémon based on their rarity.
The cards show high-profile Muslims, including the Mayor of London who is branded “the most dangerous Pakémon”. One sticker, which includes a picture of Sadiq Khan, reads: “He believes that Londoners should learn to accept Islamic terrorism while he is mayor.”
The creator offers “200 terror points” to anyone who collects the offensive sticker of Khan – dubbed “Hamaskhan”. The stickers are branded with the slogan “gotta catch and deport them all” – mimicking the cartoon’s famous “gotta catch ‘em all” tagline.
Former member of the self-styled ‘Muslim Patrols’, Jordan Horner who attempted to enforce Sharia Law on London’s streets and ISIS terrorist Mohammed Emwazi aka Jihadi John – dubbed “Beheadatron” are also featured.
A spokesman for the British Transport Police (BTP) confirmed the arrest to The Muslim News. “A 46-year-old man from Sutton, London has today been arrested by British Transport Police on suspicion of inciting racial hatred. The arrest, which was supported by officers from the Metropolitan Police, is in connection with the appearance of racist ‘Pokémon’ style stickers on the London Underground and at bus stops throughout the capital,” said the spokesman in a statement.
BTP also urged Londoners to report further sightings. A spokesman said: “British Transport Police is committed to preventing incidents of hate crime and prejudice and all incidents of this nature are investigated thoroughly. Everyone has the right to travel on the rail network without fear or intimidation. Racially or religiously motivated crime will simply not be tolerated.”
Sophie Linden, Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, told The Muslim News: “Hate crime, in all its shapes and forms, will not be tolerated in London and there is absolutely no place for these abhorrent stickers anywhere in our city.”
