Black Rider

An ordinary morning commute on a tram in Berlin sparks racial and ethnic discrimination when, out of the blue, a seemingly kind and sweet old lady launches an all-out attack on the unsuspecting black man sitting next to her. And before long, the white-haired woman starts spewing hatred, taking inspiration from the usual favourite topics on stereotypes, immigration, unemployment, and white supremacy. But, what is even more disheartening, is that this ugly scene of verbal violence occurs before a deafeningly silent group of fellow commuters. Does this increasingly common incident highlight society's numbness, desensitisation, and an invisible concurrence to all things violent? Either way, the black commuter has not said his last word yet. —Nick Riganas