Latest news with #AylaMellek
Metro
13-05-2025
- Metro
Man arrested after woman ‘body slammed' in trend spreading across London
A man has been arrested after a woman was 'body slammed' to the ground in an incel trend spreading across London. Ayla Mellek, 20, said she was left with whiplash and bruising after she was pushed to the ground by a runner last Sunday. She was walking along Mile End canal when she tried to move out of the way of the man, who was running and grunting towards at her at full speed, but he instead allegedly went straight through her. Police have since confirmed a 38-year-old man from Whitechapel has been arrested on suspicion of common assault in relation to the attack, as well as a second incident. The 20-year-old told Metro: 'After he collided with me, I heard a grunt of satisfaction come from him. 'Bear in mind, he is huge and around 6ft 4in tall. As he came towards me, I turned my body to make a gap for him to run through, but instead he ran at me at full speed and completely bodied me. 'It felt like he was trying to knock me into the canal, but the way my body was turned it meant I hit the ground instead.' Ayla was knocked face first to the ground so hard it knocked the air out of her lungs and left with her cuts down her hands and arms and whiplash across her upper body. Hoping it was an accident, Ayla decided not to report it to the police, until a couple approached her afterwards and said the attacker had knocked an elderly man into the canal just hours before hitting her. 'They saw I was crying and heard what had happened and came and told me he had actually just pushed someone into the water,' Ayla said. 'That's when I knew it wasn't an accident.' The attack on Ayla comes as Japanese trend Butsukari otoko, which translates to 'bumping man', spread across the UK. It started with men ramming into woman in busy train stations, but has since spread outside of stations into streets and, now, into other countries. More Trending The attacker 'gets off' on feeling superior to the victim, who is often left shaken and injured after the incident. After Ayla put up a post on TikTok, her comment section was flooded with women describing similar experiences. Elly Bailey wrote: 'This happened to me outside of Old Street station a few months ago! I was waiting to cross the road and a man running body slammed me so hard I got knocked over backwards onto the concrete. 'As well as cutting my elbow, hitting my head, bruising my hands and wrists, my camera that was in my bag broke from the impact and I had to pay to get it fixed.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Tory MP Patrick Spencer charged with two sexual assaults at London's Groucho Club MORE: Man wrongly locked up for 38 years for murder he didn't do says 'he's not angry' MORE: The alarming tactics of hackers targeting major firms like M&S and Co-op
BBC News
13-05-2025
- BBC News
Man arrested after woman 'slammed' to ground along London canal
A man has been arrested after a woman was reportedly "slammed" to the ground on an east London canal Mellek told BBC London she was walking with a friend along the Mile End canal path when a man ran into her with such force she was knocked down despite having "space on the path to pass freely".After the alleged attack on 4 May, the 20-year-old posted her story on TikTok and said she received hundreds of comments from people, most of whom were women, sharing similar Metropolitan Police said a 38-year-old man from Whitechapel has been arrested on suspicion of common assault in relation to the alleged attack on Ms Mellek as well as a second incident. Ms Mellek said the incident happened "so quickly" and the man could not have "accidentally slammed someone to the ground with that much force and then just run away".She said she was close to falling into the water but was grateful to have missed dangerous items like glass and metal on the path when she fell, landing instead on returning home, she posted the TikTok video to warn others about the the video, Ms Mellek stated: "Please. If you're in London, you need to be so careful."She told BBC London: "I had one comment which generally made me so upset."There was this one woman and she said she was pregnant and some guy just slammed her into the ground."But also it's reading all the comments online about other women and their experiences, how it's happened on the train, on the buses, just walking down the street in broad daylight." Ms Mellek said she was worried that that these incidents, while potentially starting as minor, "have the potential to escalate".She added: "Why should women like myself and others around London have to wait for an incident to become so severe?"A Met Police spokesperson said the man who has been arrested is also under investigation over an incident in which a 60-year-old man was allegedly pushed while walking along Commercial Road, Bethnal Green, and fell into nearby parked car on 2 Det Ch Supt Brittany Clarke said: "We are very aware of the concern this has caused in the local community. While we have a man in custody, local officers will continue to patrol around the canal and surrounding areas."She encouraged anyone with information on similar incidents to contact the police.
Daily Mirror
11-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Women deliberately 'body slammed' by strangers in sick trend spreading across UK
A horror Japanese trend called 'Butsukari otoko' in which a man deliberately body slams woman in public is being reported in the UK - it's been linked to online incel communities Women have described being deliberately 'body slammed' by strangers after a cruel misogynistic trend reached the UK. So-called 'Butsukari otoko' attacks - in which a man deliberately throws his weight at a random woman in public - are said to be on the rise in Britain after first being reported in Japan. The shocking incidents, which often leave victims injured and severely shaken, are believed to have originated among ' incels ' in the country - an online community of men who hold hateful and often violent misogynistic views about the opposite sex. In the UK, many of these incidents have been reported on public transport, though others have recalled being subjected to the attacks outside in "broad daylight". One 20-year-old woman said she had been walking along Mile End canal in East London on a "busy day" when she was suddenly slammed into by a "massive" man. She said the impact knocked her to the ground, and left her suffering from whiplash for days afterwards. Influencer Ayla Mellek said on TikTok: "There were cyclists, runners, just people walking, mothers with prams, it was bustling, people with dogs. "I'm walking with my friend and there's this guy running towards me. He's massive, double my height, six foot four, he had muscles all over his shoulders and he was dressed in blue and he was running. "He literally was just somebody who was running along the canal - a lot of people jog - and we were walking. "He's grunting, and I can hear he's grunting as he's getting closer to me, deep, deep grunting and growling. "So I twist my body so he can get past me because it is a bit crowded. There was a gap for him to get past me, but instead of going in this gap, this guy ran at me at full force and body slammed me to the ground. "With so much force, this guy slammed me in the chest. I twisted in the air and landed face down on the floor." After getting back to her feet, Ayla said she initially had wondered whether it had been an accident - but soon afterwards a couple approached her and told her they had seen the same man "push someone into the water", making it clear to her that she had been the victim of a deliberate attack She reported the incident to police, but has so far been told that no arrests have been made. Other women also shared stories of similar attacks in London in the comments section of the video. One wrote: "This happened to me outside of Old Street station a few months ago! I was waiting to cross the road and a man running body slammed me so hard I got knocked over backwards onto the concrete." Another said: "As well as cutting my elbow, hitting my head, bruising my hands and wrists, my camera that was in my bag broke from the impact and I had to pay to get it fixed."
News18
08-05-2025
- News18
20-Year-Old Woman Injured In Assault Linked to ‘Bumping Men' Trend
Last Updated: A woman based in London revealed via a TikTok video she had been targeted by a Japanese incel who bumped into her intentionally. A 20-year-old woman was left with cuts and bruises after being body slammed to the ground by a 'huge" man in London. Ayla Mellek claims the assault was part of a disturbing trend known in Japan as 'butsukari otoko", or 'bumping men." Mellek was with a friend on Sunday, May 4, when a tall man ran at her full speed and deliberately knocked her down. Despite her attempt to move aside, the man charged straight into her. The impact, she said, 'knocked the air out of [her] lungs" and left her with bruises, cuts, and whiplash. 'After he collided with me, I heard a grunt of satisfaction come from him," Mellek told Metro. Mellek later posted about the attack in a TikTok video, identifying the incident as part of the misogynistic Japanese trend where men deliberately bump into women to assert power. The behaviour has reportedly gained traction among online incel communities. 'Bear in mind, he is huge and around 6 ft 4 tall. As he came towards me, I turned my body to make a gap for him to run through, but instead he ran at me at full speed and completely bodied me. It felt like he was trying to knock me into the canal, but the way my body was turned it meant I hit the ground instead," she said. Initially assuming the impact was accidental, she didn't report it. But moments later, a couple approached her and revealed the same man had shoved an older man into the canal. 'They saw I was crying and heard what had happened and came and told me he had actually pushed someone into the water. That's when I knew it wasn't an accident," she said. In Japan, a man identified as Daisuke Nagata was previously arrested for similar attacks. During interrogation, Nagata confessed to targeting women, admitting he had done so 'dozens of times." 'When I got off a train once, my arm happened to hit a woman's chest and it felt good," he said. 'So I thought about how to do the same without being accused. I've done this dozens of times," as per Metro. Ayla Mellek's attacker has not yet been caught, police said. A day after the attack, she reported the incident to the police. In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: 'Police are investigating an assault that took place on Sunday, 4 May at 12:30 hrs. It is alleged a man pushed a 20-year-old woman as she walked along the canal in Mile End, Bethnal Green. She attended a police station the following day to report the incident. No arrests have been made. An investigation into the circumstances is ongoing." First Published: May 08, 2025, 19:14 IST
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Why are men 'shoving' unsuspecting women in daylight? Disturbing 'trend' inspired by Japanese incels sees thugs 'body slamming' victims - and then acting as if nothing has happened
A terrifying trend that sees men shoving themselves into unsuspecting women before walking off unfazed has left women in the UK terrified. Women in London have been sharing details of horrifying attacks where they have seen them shoved, chased and even punched on public transport - or while simply walking or travelling in the city during the day. Taking to social media, many have been recounting the horrific incidents in which they were 'body slammed' with no warning - in a worrying trend which seems to originate from Japan. The misogynist practice, dubbed 'butsukari otoko' (which literally translates to a 'bumping man') sees incel men deliberately ramming into women at crowded train stations. In a recent TikTok, one 20-year-old woman was left with whiplash after she was body slammed to the ground while walking along Mile End canal in East London. 'Please, if you're in London you need to be so careful,' social media creator Ayla Mellek (@aylamellek) said. 'Because I just got assaulted today in broad daylight.' The influencer shared how she and a friend were strolling along to enjoy a brunch at the Blue Ivy cafe and it was 'quite a busy day'. 'There were cyclists, runners, just people walking, mothers with prams, it was bustling, people with dogs. 'I'm walking with my friend and there's this guy running towards me. He's massive, double my height, six foot four, he had muscles all over his shoulders and he was dressed in blue and he was running. In April, after attending a concert, one woman revealed how she was followed by a 'creepy man' while trying to make her way back home from Highbury and Islington in London 'He literally to me was just somebody who was running along the canal - a lot of people jog - and we were walking. 'He's grunting, and I can hear he's grunting as he's getting closer to me, deep, deep grunting and growling. 'So I twist my body so he can get past me because it is a bit crowded. There was a gap for him to get past me, but instead of going in this gap, this guy ran at me at full force and body slammed me to the ground. 'With so much force, this guy slammed me in the chest. I twisted in the air and landed face down on the floor.' Speaking to Metro, she added: 'After he collided with me, I heard a grunt of satisfaction come from him. 'Bear in mind, he is huge and around 6ft4 tall. As he came towards me, I turned my body to make a gap for him to run through, but instead he ran at me at full speed and completely bodied me. It felt like he was trying to knock me into the canal, but the way by body was turned it meant I hit the ground instead.' Even a couple of hours later, Ayla's hands and palms were still red from where she had taken the brunt of the fall. 'My head landed on grass and my body landed on concrete, and then he just ran away,' she continued. 'I was in so much shock I just started crying immediately.' Some runners helped her up while a friend she was with tried to call out to the man who shoved her - but he was 'long gone'. When they got to the cafe, Ayla called her boyfriend on the phone, where another diner couldn't help but hear the conversation. Walking up to them, she revealed that they saw the same man push an elderly man in Ayla then called the police and reported it - because she didn't know if initially he 'panicked and ran away' after seeing her fall. After finishing her meal, she realised that a kind stranger had paid for it after hearing of her ordeal. 'There are such kind people out here that look out for other people, so thank you so much,' she said in her post. 'I got so lucky I didn't hit my head on like a concrete slab or a nail... there's lots of boats along that canal, lots of boat hooks.' In a follow-up video, Ayla reflected how she has come to learn how her incident was likely an example of butsukari otoko. 'Why do they do this? Because these disgusting men get like "off" on this feeling of violating and physically degrading and hurting women,' she expressed. 'In their minds, women are taking up space on the sidewalks, women are taking up space in society - and it's a dominance thing. This "trend" from Japan is now in London. It's very subtle - they do it in a way it looks deniable.' 'This needs to be taken seriously. I'm in contact with the police and the police are also dealing with this. If you ever see anything like this in public - please do report this. It's a disgusting, growing trend.' Creator @sandyinjapannn, who is based in East Asia, has made a series on videos on the topic, and in November interviewed a woman about her experiences with butsukari otoko. 'I've had run-ins with them on the train,' she revealed. 'Also while walking on the streets. 'I saw a dude like, choosing women on the street to ram into them. So I tried to go around him, he chased me and rammed into me. He was probably around 50s to 60s.' The problem first came to light in May 2018, when a video of a man ramming into multiple women at Shinjuku Station was widely circulated on X/Twitter and YouTube. The unsettling 43-second clip showed a man - who gained notoriety as the 'Shinjuku Station Tackle Man' - wearing a black backpack as he walked around the precinct picking his targets before forcefully shouldering at least four women. While the perpetrator in that case was never identified, another 'butsokari otoko' was apprehended by Japanese police in July 2020 - after Daisuke Nagata was accused of slamming into six women at Keikyu-Kamata Station in Ota Ward. Nagata, then 45, allegedly used his arms and elbows to bump into these women, including a 19-year-old, on four separate days, according to The Tokyo Reporter. Nagata, who worked as a 'temportary employee' at the time, denied the specific allegations against him while conceding 'I've done this dozens of times' without being caught. 'When I got off a train once, my arm happened to hit a woman's chest and it felt good,' he reportedly told police. 'So I thought about how to do the same without being accused. I've done this dozen times.' However, he continued, he 'quit' assaulting women in May 2020 after realising it was 'embarrassing'. However, the trend has now reached the UK's shores. Ayla's story is just one example of the trend which has been plaguing Japanese women on public transport, with TikToker @addyharajuku - reacting to another British women's experience to being 'shoved' in broad daylight - explaining that the trend, while straying just enough from being explicitly aggressive, is rooted in misogyny. 'Although technically these bumping men can target anyone, a lot of the time their frustration seems to be very targeted towards women. 'Although this behaviour is more of a power play than it is an intentional incel behaviour, this is still a behaviour that very much stems from misogyny.' She added that it's also something that is starting to become more common in the UK. 'You can't go around venting your frustrations on people by physically punching them or kicking them or doing anything that's too obvious even though that doesn't really stop men anyway because they still do that now - but this kind of behaviour is just passable enough as plausible deniability.' The aggression isn't always so subtle. More and more women have been speaking about instances where men have punched or chased them down the street. In April, after attending a concert, one woman revealed how she was followed by a 'creepy man' while trying to make her way back home from Highbury and Islington in London. 'I get off the train at Highbury and Islington, I've passed the corner to go up Highbury and Islington station road, and there's this guy - he's camouflaged, hooded up - and he's clocked me. It's dark,' presenter T (@tiktoktee_) explained. 'I've gone up the road and he's started following me. So instinctively I knew that this is not a good egg.' She started running and came across some bikes. 'I ran to the bike, turned the bike on, waiting for it. As I was waiting for it I could see that he was coming. Man came around the corner, saw that I got on the bike. As I got on the bike - he chased me. 'It's not safe for women anymore. It's so brazen now, it's very scary. I don't know what's going on, but it's not safe anymore. Take a cab - but sometimes even the cabs aren't safe. Do whatever you need to do. I have never been so scared in my life, I'm shaking. Elsewhere in March, one millionaire businesswoman who was 'violently attacked' on a London tube called for an urgent review of the network's Help Points after she was left waiting for 30 minutes. Sally Wynter was travelling home from work on the Victoria line when she 'felt a punch' and a man 'knocked her sideways' into the train's glass window. She was stood was left waiting for half an hour for a response from the intercom despite being 'traumatised' by the assault. A man in 30s was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of assault following the incident just after 4.30pm on March 27. The suspect left the carriage at Green Park after the 'frightening' attack which left Sally 'completely in bits' . After getting off at Oxford Circus she went to one of the tube network's emergency Help Points where she was hoping to get immediate assistance. Taking to TikTok, the entrepreneur who sold her alcohol brand MUHU five years ago in a deal worth over £1 million after growing up on benefits, said: 'I pressed the emergency button and it made a flashing light. It made an intercom connection sound and then nothing happened. 'I pressed it again, nothing happened. I thought maybe someone was coming. No one was coming.' While she was waiting at the help point Sally, who was raised in Haringey, North London, rang the police and was told to wait for a British Transport Police (BTP) officer to arrive. 'I was waiting for about 30 minutes at the [emergency] point underground after pressing the button like four times,' she continued. 'No replied, no one showed up.' She went on to ask: 'Do these help points even work?'. She was told by police on the phone that her suspected attacker matched the description of someone who kicked a child at the Green Park ticket hall shortly after her incident. However, they allegedly walked free after the children's parents decided against pressing charges. Speaking to the Standard, she said: 'There were tears streaming down my face and I actually talked to two old ladies to ask them for some tissues. 'That phases me as a sad reflection on the lack of care we have for each other as human beings in a big city like London.' After posting her ordeal on TikTok she was contacted by Transport for London (TFL) but said it is 'difficult' to have 'confidence' in TfL and the police following the incident. Sally has now called for an urgent meeting with the mayor to lobby for an audit of all emergency Help Points at major stations. She has also called on Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander to review all rail Help Points across Britain. It comes after last year an Office of Rail and Road audit last year found 25 per cent of stations had at least one machine reported as broken. A spokesperson for the Mayor of London: 'The Mayor's thoughts are with Sally Wynter following the incident she experienced on the London Underground last week. Everyone should be and feel safe in London. 'The British Transport Police are investigating and an arrest has been made. The Mayor urges anyone with information to get in touch with them. 'All passengers who use the TfL network deserve to be and feel safe, with complete confidence that if things do go wrong, help is always available. 'In most cases, TfL staff serve Londoners incredibly well, taking deep pride in delivering an excellent service and supporting customers when needed, including in complex and sometimes distressing situations.' Siwan Hayward, TfL's Director for Security, Policing and Enforcement, said: 'Safety is our top priority and we are truly sorry for the experience that Ms Wynter had seeking help at one of our stations. 'It must have been very distressing and it should not have happened. Everyone should feel safe when travelling on our network. 'If anyone is a victim or witness of a crime they should be able to access help and support straight away. 'We train our staff to support customers and to help report incidents to the police. We are investigating as a matter of urgency why Ms Wynter did not get the help she should have and have reached out to her to offer support.' A BTP spokesperson at the time said: 'A man in his 30s from the South Norwood area has been arrested on suspicion of assault, following an incident on a Victoria Line train on March 27. He remains in police custody. 'We continue to appeal to witnesses or anyone with information to get in touch by texting 61016 or calling 0800 405040 quoting reference 523 of 27 March.' FEMAIL has approached Metropolitan Police, the British Transport Police and the Mayor's Office for comment.
