Three Melbourne bus passengers are facing charges over an alleged hate-filled tirade against a French tourist last year that gained international attention.

The incident on a city bus last November had seen the young tourist be told to "speak English or die" and then threatened with having her breasts cut off.

But other shocked passengers filmed those who were threatening the woman and posted the mobile phone footage on YouTube, triggering a social media backlash.

The footage shows passengers continuing to taunt and threaten the woman and her friends for several minutes.

One man can even be heard shouting how everyone on the bus wanted to kill her and she "would have to get off eventually".