A disabled woman has sparked a furious online debate after she called a bus driver ‘ableist’ when he told her she wasn’t allowed on board.
Anastasiia Berezikova, 23, was denied entry onto the Melbourne bus on November 19 because the driver said it had reached maximum capacity.
Despite being on a mobility scooter and qualifying for a priority seat, the driver told her it would be ‘unfair’ to kick off existing passengers.
Ms Berezikova’s TikTok video of her exchange with the driver divided viewers, with some supporting her and some saying she shouldn’t have been allowed on the bus.
Footage of the incident shows the driver (pictured) explaining to Ms Berezikova that the bus was at maximum capacity and kicking any of the existing passengers off would be ‘unfair’
The video shows the driver had changed the bus’s destination signs to say ‘sorry bus full’ meaning he was unable to take on any more passengers.
After being shot down for asking if able-bodied passengers were being prioritised, she then pleading with other riders.
‘So none of the able-bodied people want to help a disabled person,’ Ms Berezikova asked, singling out one woman who appeared uncomfortable.
The driver told her that another bus heading in the same direction would be coming soon to pick her up.
The video attracted hundreds of comments from TikTok users who disagreed on who they believed was in the right.
‘I’m so sorry, has a horrible attitude around these kinds of things, it really is a free for all,’ one user wrote, agreeing with Ms Berezikova.
‘Bloody hell how rude and inconsiderate are people nowadays they only think about themselves,’ a second wrote, saying passengers should have moved for her.
‘You definitely should have gotten a seat, people in wheelchairs should be first on so the people at your stop should have been told to wait,’ a third wrote.
A disabled woman from Melbourne, Anastassia Berezikova (pictured), has caused a fiery debate online after claiming a bus driver was ‘ableist’ for not letting her on
However, others disagreed with Ms Berezikova, some praising the driver for handling the situation calmly.
‘You’re prioritised a seat/space on the bus if there is a space on the bus, they can’t just kick someone off that’s on before you,’ one user wrote, siding with the driver.
‘On the bus you get priority seating, yes. But you don’t get priority to ride – if it’s full it’s full they can’t just kick people off,’ a second user agreed.
Another disabled woman, bound by a wheelchair, said she believed that he ‘did nothing wrong’.
‘You’re assuming people are discriminating you when they’re not,’ she wrote.
In follow-up videos posted to her TikTok, Ms Berezikova claimed others had gotten on the bus after pushing in-front of her and was pleading with them to give her a space.
Ms Berezikova was placed into a 12-day coma after suffering two cardiac arrests in July 2021 caused by undiagnosed Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), a disease that effects cells in the blood.
The heart attacks also left her with Lance Adam’s Syndrome which affects her motor skills, coordination and speech.
Daily Mail has contacted Ms Berezikova and Public Transport Victoria for comment.