Rosie Jones says wine bottle was thrown at her in ableist attack on a train
By Hannah Roberts, PA Senior Entertainment Reporter
Comedian Rosie Jones has said a plastic wine bottle was thrown at her and a friend in an ableist and homophobic attack on a train.
The writer and actress, 35, who has ataxic cerebral palsy, which affects movement and coordination, said the perpetrators “shouted slurs” and mocked the voices of her and comedian Lee Peart.
Peart said the pair were “attacked by ableist and homophobic arseholes” in a video posted to his Instagram story where he showed splatters of wine next to where they were sitting on the train.
In the video, Jones said they had thrown wine at her and added: “What a f****** waste.”
On Monday, Jones posted a message to social media celebrating World Cerebral Palsy Day and said: “Today was going to be about me celebrating all that is good and brilliant about having CP.
“But on the train home from our gig last night, me and my good pal Lee were victims of ableism and homophobia. They mocked our voices, shouted slurs at us and even threw a wine bottle (plastic, thankfully).
“It was a stark reminder that my CP makes me stand out, and is often used as a weapon against me. Unfortunately the worms of this world use my disability to try and make me feel like a victim. I am not.
“People with cerebral palsy should never be made to feel like guests in an unwelcoming and hostile world which wasn’t set up for people like us.
“We have just as much of a right to be here as anybody else. AND DON’T FORGET IT.”
People with cerebral palsy should never be made to feel like guests in an unwelcoming and hostile world which wasn’t set up for people like usRosie Jones
In a follow up post, Peart said: “Thank you for your lovely lovely messages we are both doing fine and yes we have reported it.
“The BTP (British Transport Police) took us home and were wonderful. Rosie Jones is a wonderful human.”
In 2023 Jones explored the prevalence of disability trolling in the UK in a Channel 4 documentary that received criticism for its title – Rosie Jones: Am I A R*tard?
She completed the London Marathon last year in a buggy pushed by fellow comedian Ivo Graham to raise money for Up – The Adult Cerebral Palsy Movement and the MS Society.
A spokesperson for British Transport Police said: “Officers were called to East Croydon railway station at around 10.30pm yesterday (5 October) following reports of a group of people abusing and assaulting other passengers on a train from Brighton to Victoria.
“Inquiries are ongoing, and anyone who witnessed anything or has any information is asked to contact BTP by texting 61016 or by calling 0800 405040, quoting reference 672 of 5 October.”