Published 27 March 2023 at 17.40
Domestic. The Discrimination Ombudsman, DO, demands that the train company Vy Tåg must pay SEK 60,000 in discrimination compensation to a man. According to DO, the man was discriminated against because of his skin color when he was rejected from a train.
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The incident occurred in connection with a ticket control during a train journey between Härnösand and Umeå.
A person who could not show a valid ticket was rejected by the train conductor. In connection with that, the train conductor also turned to the man represented by the DO and, according to the DO, urged him to leave the train together with his “friend”, despite the fact that he had already presented a valid ticket.
Because the two people did not know each other and were not in the same company, the man, according to DO, questioned the train conductor's call. Minutes later, he is said to have been asked to show his ticket again, and the train conductor is said to have again asked if he would get off the train together with his “friend”. According to the man, the assumption that they were in company was based on his and the other person's skin color.
Vy Tåg admits that it was a mistake to connect the men and think they were in the same company, and that the train conductor got it wrong decision including the rejection. However, the company has stated that they do not consider that the man has been discriminated against.
DO's assessment is that the train conductor's statement at the time of the rejection shows that the disadvantage was related to the complainant's skin color and that it has therefore been a question of discrimination that has connection with ethnic affiliation.
The authority requests that the train company pay SEK 60,000 in discrimination compensation to the man. If the company opposes this, DO will submit a lawsuit to the district court.