“SHOCKING” footage shows a passenger assaulting a Transport Canberra bus driver before spitting in his direction earlier this month. 

The Transport Canberra bus was travelling on route 618 from Dickson to Belconnen at about 8.55am on Friday, October 2, when it stopped at the Dickson interchange and a man described by police as Asian, with black hair, and wearing a red jacket and blue jeans boarded the bus.

Not long after hopping on the bus, CCTV footage, released by police, shows the man attempting to exit the bus at the Westfield Belconnen interchange.

The man then had a verbal altercation with the bus driver, before assaulting him, police say. As the man exited the bus, he appears to spit in the direction of the bus and the driver.

Detective acting Inspector Simon Coady described the incident as shocking, particularly during the current climate.

“With COVID-19 still a real concern in the community, we should all be taking additional precautions to keep safe,” he says.

“The actions of this man are reprehensible, and I would call on any members of the Canberra community who can identify him to contact police or Crime Stoppers.”

Police urge anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who can identify the man from the CCTV footage to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333000, or via the Crime Stoppers website quoting reference number 6640712.