Glasgow private hire driver tells of moment soldier threw punch in 'retaliation' for Manchester bombing
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Image: Glasgow Evening Times
A GLASGOW private hire driver has described the moment a soldier threw a punch in ‘retaliation’ for the Manchester bombings.
Muhammad Saqib said his wife had advised him not to go out to work after the tragedy on May 22, 2017 because she feared he would be targeted.
Mr Saqib, a dad-of-one from Glasgow’s South Side, said the abuse started shortly after he picked up two men from outside the casino on Glassford Street.
He recalled how one of the men asked him: “When are you going to stop doing this....bombing our country.?”
Twenty three people died after a radical Islamist detonated a shrapnel-laden homemade bomb as people were leaving the Manchester Arena following a concert by the American singer Ariana Grande.
Mr Saquib said: "My wife had actually advised me not to go out to work.
“These things always happen if there is any major news event to do with Islam around the world. “When the incident happened at Glasgow airport and the Manchester arena bombing, it was a hard time for ethnic drivers, especially Muslim drivers.
“I remember I stopped my car in the middle of the road because I thought if anything goes wrong, the car behind will see it.
“Then one of them swings a punch and I saw it and managed to take myself away.
“Then the other fellow got out and came to the window and all the time they were shouting and swearing at me.
“I remember I had my air freshener and I said if you come near me I’m going to throw it in your face.
“I’ve got strong nerves so I get over it quickly but that night I didn’t work.”
Taxi drivers, nightclub and other late night workers who are abused by the public will be the focus of a new hate crime campaign, launched by Police Scotland.
Feedback indicates those who work in late night industries such as fast food outlets and convenience stores as well as taxi drivers and door security are most at risk of being targeted.
More than 6,700 hate crimes were recorded in Scotland last year, with 66% targeted because of their race, 16% on account of their sexual orientation and 7% because of their religion.
Mr Saqib is now president of the Scottish Ethnic Private Hire Welfare Association (SEPHWA), which offers support to drivers affected by abuse from the public. He advises drivers to install CCTV cameras or record incidents on their phone but to avoid getting into an argument with passengers.
He said: “I been though this a lot because I used to do a lot of night shifts. We share stories as drivers and some of them are very scary.
“I’ve been in the trade nearly 21 years and it’s not a great experience for anyone to have.
“You are targeted. If I am targeted I don’t tell my family. If they find out, they ask me to stop doing my job.But somebody has to do it.
“My advice is whatever your experience is, the best way to deal with it is to share it with others which will be beneficial to them and society."
Image: Police Scotland/Twitter
