A white passenger reportedly punched a Pakistani taxi driver in Birmingham, UK after refusing to pay the fare. The video of the passenger punching and assaulting the 52-years-old Pakistani taxi driver went viral on social media. The taxi driver dressed in kameez shalwar reportedly seems to be of Pakistani origin.
The video shows the driver punched back the passenger in defense. The West Midland’s driver association said the attacks on drivers are frequent. Hence, it called for greater security of drivers. The West Midlands Police said they are using the footage to trace the attacker.
This broke my heart 💔
This happened in the UK I’m not really sure the exact location but this white man didn’t want to pay his taxi fare and decided to beat an elderly Pakistani Muslim man who was demanding that he paid what was owed to him.
WHO THE IS HE?! pic.twitter.com/TVGL3peDIy
— StanceGrounded (@_SJPeace_) July 1, 2020
The driver suffered minor injuries as he went to the hospital after the injury. The taxi driver had a cut and swelling to the face. Shaz Saleem, the chairperson of the West Midlands Private Hire Driver’s Association said that the incident has left Pakistani driver shook. He has been driving the car for a while.
“Some people just don’t have respect for drivers,” he said. He informed that the dispute between the driver and passenger was over a fare of £5-£10.
He said people should be considerate towards these drivers since coronavirus has adversely affected them.
Read more: On frontline: Pakistani doctors in UK, taxi drivers in Spain provide free services
“Drivers have been off the road for three months; most have no choice but to go to work,” Mr. Saleem said. “They’re risking their lives to be assaulted.”
He said the association has taken a few steps along with the council for the protection of taxi drivers including the advance payment and CCTV.
https://twitter.com/martinmcneil/status/1278366050237796353?s=20
“People are taking advantage,” he said. “It’s lucky someone was recording this, or no-one would know about it.”
Another Pakistani taxi driver abused in the UK
Earlier, social media praised a Pakistani cab driver in the UK for tackling the racist passenger with patience.
A video of a white man demeaning a Pakistani taxi driver in the UK went viral on social media. The video gained the attention of social media users. Meanwhile, Pakistani cab received appreciation for exuding patience despite the racist comments of the passenger.
“Who do you think you are? Do you think you’re something special? Pakistan! But
I’ll tell you what? No wonder the Indians are bombing you!”
The driver went on to search his bag as if looking for a change and responded calmly, “I don’t think about who I am. Have fun.”
However, the passenger continued with insulting comments in an abusive and threatening manner. “By the way, this is England! And you’re in a f****** job in England! So you should respect this country.”
Read more:Jemima Goldsmith praise Pakistani cab driver on cool response to racist passenger
But soon the driver informed the passenger that he has recorded his video and will soon upload it on Facebook. So that the world could hear what he said to him.
But the passenger continued, “You think I give a flying f***?”
The driver then asked the passenger to leave his cab after returning him the change. Yet, while getting off his cab, the passenger again abused the passenger for belonging to a Muslim country.
Taxi drivers are at the highest risk of catching coronavirus
The taxi drivers who are already suffering to earn living amid the ongoing pandemic coronavirus are most at risk of catching the disease in the UK.
The figures released in May showed that taxi drivers have the highest death rate ratios from coronavirus in the UK. These worrisome figures forced driver associations in various parts of the UK to amend laws that will allow them to fit a screen between them and the passengers.
Hence, the call of Shaz Saleem is justified in being extra careful and thoughtful towards the plight of taxi drivers in the UK.