An enraged Muni passenger toting three children on a crowded bus punched a woman in the head and face after screaming, “I need my space!” It was just one of at least three bus assaults within a four-hour period Thursday, police said.

Police responded to 24th and Folsom streets about 5:20 p.m. on a report of a fight on a bus. The victim told cops she was standing near the stairwell when the suspect began screaming about needing space. The suspect not only assaulted her, the victim told police, but stole her bag, which was “filled with medicine.”

The suspect then exited the bus with three children. No arrest has been reported.

Less than an hour later, police said, a Muni operator was assaulted by a rider. The driver told cops the passenger became irate and started spitting on her.

The same passenger also is accused of trying to spit on cops who responded to the scene. The passenger was taken into custody and booked on numerous charges, police said.

Earlier in the afternoon, a man was arrested at Market and Second streets after passengers said he threw food at a Muni operator who wouldn’t allow him to bring the eats onboard.

maldax@sfexaminer.com