The Guardian

Hancock feared being pushed down escalator by anti-vaxxer

Caroline Davies

Matt Hancock said at court he had felt “physically intimidated” and had feared being pushed down a London underground escalator by an antivaccination protester accusing him of murdering people during the coronavirus pandemic.

Geza Tarjanyi, 62, of Leyland, in Lancashire, who denies causing harassment without violence, is accused of shoulder-barging the MP and shouting “ridiculous conspiracy theories” on 19 and 24 January this year.

Hancock, formerly the health secretary, told a trial at Westminster magistrates court yesterday: “As a public figure I can’t recall a time when I felt as intimidated as this.”

He said the first occasion was when he and a staff member passed an antivaccination protest near parliament. Tarjanyi filmed him, asked why he had “killed so many people” and shoulder-barged him. “I felt physically intimidated and [needing] to get to a place of safety. He was being completely unreasonable,” the MP, who was called as a witness, told the court.

A few days later Tarjanyi followed the MP through Westminster Underground station and on to a train for a period of about 10 minutes, again accusing him of murdering people, the court heard.

Hancock said he had stopped at the top of an escalator to “resolve the situation” but felt the defendant pushing him towards it. “Obviously I was extremely worried at this time. If I had lost my balance at that point, I would have tumbled down the escalator,” he said.“It’s a long escalator … and I was being pushed from behind.” He said he feared Tarjanyi had been willing to commit a crime, alleging the defendant had told him he “wanted to go to court”. The defendant's mobile phone footage of the second incident was played to the court.

Parveen Mansoor, defending, said Tarjanyi denied any physical contact and believed it was Hancock who had “barged into him”. She added: “He denies assaulting him in any way shape or form.” She argued that the defendant merely walked into Hancock after he stopped. The trial has been adjourned until 4 July.

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2023-06-09T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-06-09T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://guardian.pressreader.com/article/281844353034238

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