A man has been apprehended following an incident in which a woman was reportedly “thrown” to the ground along a canal path in east London.

Ayla Mellek recounted to BBC London that while she was strolling with a friend on the Mile End canal path, a man collided with her with such intensity that she fell, even though there was “ample space on the path to pass without issue.”

Following the alleged assault on May 4, the 20-year-old shared her experience on TikTok, where she received an overwhelming response, particularly from women, who recounted similar encounters.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that a 38-year-old man from Whitechapel has been taken into custody on suspicion of common assault related to Ms. Mellek’s case, as well as a separate incident.

Ms. Mellek expressed that the event unfolded “very rapidly” and contended that the man could not have “accidentally slammed someone to the ground with that degree of force and then simply fled.”

She noted that she was nearly thrown into the water but felt fortunate to avoid landing on hazardous debris such as glass and metal, instead hitting the grass.

Upon her return home, she uploaded a TikTok video to alert others about the incident.

In her video, Ms. Mellek urged: “Please, if you’re in London, exercise caution.”

Speaking to BBC London, she shared how one particular comment deeply affected her.

A woman mentioned that while pregnant, she had been thrown to the ground by a man.

Moreover, Ms. Mellek expressed her dismay at the numerous comments from other women detailing their experiences, noting occurrences on public transportation, buses, and even while walking in broad daylight.

She raised concerns that these seemingly minor incidents “could escalate.”

She questioned, “Why should women like myself and others in London have to wait for an incident to reach such a critical point?”

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police indicated that the arrested man is also under scrutiny for an event where a 60-year-old man was allegedly shoved while walking on Commercial Road in Bethnal Green, causing him to collide with a parked car on April 2.

Acting Detective Chief Superintendent Brittany Clarke acknowledged the heightened concern within the local community. While a suspect is in custody, local officers will maintain patrols around the canal and its vicinity.

She urged anyone with information regarding similar incidents to reach out to the police.