City minicab drivers' racist attack misery A GROUP of minicab drivers say they are living in fear of racist attacks and are calling on the council to allow them to install CCTV in their cars.The drivers say are fearful of being attacked in their minicabs
The Scottish Ethnic Private Hire Welfare Association, which represents nearly 150 drivers belonging to ethnic minorities, said 30 drivers came forward to talk about their recent experiences of racism and hate crime at work.
The revelations came to light during a recent conference.
Pakistan-born Muhammed Saqib Majeed, the president of the association, has lived in Glasgow since 1997 and has driven a cab for 13 years.
The 42-year-old said many drivers were worried about reporting racial attacks and abuse to the police because of a lack of evidence.
If drivers were allowed to install CCTV or another recording devices in their cars, the organisation says it would make their members feel more safe at work and more able to report crimes.
Mr Majeed, who said he had suffered racial abuse several times while driving his car, said: "The safety of drivers needs to be taken into consideration.
"We established the association in 2008 because there was a need for these drivers to be represented.
"They should not have to experience any kind of racism at work."
Mr Majeed also wants private hire drivers to be able to install other safety measures, such as wire grills separating the back and front seats.
He said: "Most Hackney cab drivers have glass separating them from passengers and they feel much more safe in their job.
"If someone tries to punch me or use a weapon on me while I'm driving, I have no protection."
Pakistan-born Fazal Qadir Naseem, from the South Side, is secretary of the organisation.
He has lived in Glasgow for 28 years and has been a minicab driver for 14 years.
The 57-year-old said: "Our members are having to deal with racism almost daily.
The CCTV plea came after one 36-year-old male driver was assaulted two days after drummer Lee Rigby was beheaded in broad daylight in London.
As reported in the Evening Times, Glasgow anti-racism campaigner and city solicitor Aamer Anwar has accused the police of "failing to investigate" the attack, which happened on Friday, May 24. The minicab had been called to pick up a fare at the La Cala pub in Dennistoun.
In a formal letter to Police Scotland, Mr Anwar said the driver had been racially abused, punched and kicked outside the pub by three white men, aged around 25.
Mr Anwar said officers attended the scene after the attack was reported but have not visited the alleged victim since.
Police Scotland said the complaint had been forwarded to Chief Constable Sir Steve House and inquiries were continuing.
In regard to the investigation, a force spokesman said: "Any report of a hate crime will, as with all crime, be thoroughly and professionally investigated by Police Scotland. Indeed, we actively encourage reporting of any hate crime."
Mr Naseem said: "We encourage all our members to report any crime to the police but we need the police to investigate it fully."
Mr Majeed added: "We deserve to be treated fairly.
"There are several other incidents we've been told about involving minicab fraud and racial abuse and we worry that police and the council are not taking it seriously enough.
"We are pushing for the council to consult with us.
"Our drivers should not be living in fear."
A Glasgow City Council spokesman said they were reviewing policies on allowing CCTV in private hire minicabs, but that there were issues regarding infringement of civil liberties and human rights.
He said: "We have been looking at the arguments for and against CCTV – and the proposal is included in a review of policies that is under way with the trade.
"However, there are significant legal and data protection issues to be resolved; with at least two local authorities in England facing action from the Information Commissioner.
"In our own case, the Commissioner advised the council to wait until legislation was clear before adopting any policy."
source:
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/city ... n.21633649
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