Hunt for passenger filmed hurling racist abuse at taxi driverhttps://metro.co.uk/2020/06/04/hunt-pas ... -12805825/(Video can be viewed on the link above)
Police are investigating footage showing a foul-mouthed passenger subjecting a taxi driver to a racist tirade. In a minute-long video, Abid Mustafa keeps his cool as a white customer rants ‘this is England’ and ‘we’ll blow you the f***king water’ and ‘you think you’re something special – Pakistan? No wonder the Indians are bombing you’.
The man keeps on throwing abuse even after the 39-year-old cabbie says: ‘I will put this on Facebook now buddy, and more people will see you and what you’re saying’. Slurring his words, the man said: ‘I don’t give a flying f**k mate. Do you really think I give a flying f**k?’
Mr Mustafa is being made the first honorary ambassador of the West Midlands Taxi Drivers’ Association (WMTDA) for the way he handled the incident in Birmingham. The father-of-four had spent the last few weeks shuttling vital Covid-19 samples for the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation trust during the pandemic.
Mr Mustafa said the passenger started his tirade as soon as he was picked up in Erdington, in Birmingham, and that he stopped to warn his fare. The driver added: ‘He promised to stop doing it, then as soon as we got going again, after about 50 metres he started up again. I have a heart and emotions and it does hurt.
‘The words do hurt us. But I chose the profession and I have to face these challenges – if I chose to be in the Army I would face battles, and this is the same.’
Mr Mustafa, who lives in Erdington and is licensed by Wolverhampton City Council, hopes footage of the incident on May 15 will prompt councils to fit CCTV in taxis to protect drivers and passengers. He says this will help demonstrate the kind of mistreatment taxi drivers have to put up with.
The cabbie added: ‘On all other public transport, like trams, buses and trains, there are cameras, so why can’t we have CCTV in cabs? At least 80-90% of this type of abuse would stop then.’ Having spoken to colleagues, Mr Mustafa believes every BAME driver in the West Midlands has been subject to racist abuse from a passenger at one point or another.
Fellow WMTDA member Shaz Saleem said it was poor reward for carrying out the vital job of ferrying supplies, medical supplies and emergency workers during the coronavirus pandemic. He added: ‘I understand the row started because Abid asked the gentleman to sit in the rear seats, because of Covid-19 controls – which are there to keep both the passenger and driver safe.’
‘This story is powerful. Yes, there is a negative, and we all know what happened in the United States with George Floyd, and we need more support here from councils and the police. ‘This driver responded with patience, calm and professionalism should be held up, in comparison to the passenger’s behaviour. ‘I guarantee you that if the driver had responded to that behaviour in any way, he’d have lost his licence.’
The passenger apparently tried to taunt Mr Mustafa over an incident from last year in which Indian warplanes conducted airstrikes on their neighbour. He said: ‘You’re never going to win that battle are you?’
Remaining calm and polite throughout the tirade, he driver says: ‘that’s fine’, handing the man his change from the fare. His passenger then said: ‘And this is England, by the way. And you’re in a f**ing job – in England. So respect this country, that you’re in.’ The driver replied: ‘Thank you very much sir.’
He then tells the man that he will be charged a 25p-a-minute waiting time charge, if the man does not go, adding: ‘Thank you mate, we’re all done here’. The passenger then leans across towards the driver, inches from his face, and says: ‘I’ll tell you what, do you think Pakistan are going to beat the English?’
Mr Mustafa responds: ‘We’re not here for a competition, sir.’ But the passenger says: ‘Well I’ll tell you what about wars, wars? We’ll blow you out the f***ing water.’ As the man gets out of the taxi, he says: ‘F**k off. F***ing Muslim c**t.”
A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: ‘We’re aware of a video circulating online that shows a taxi driver being racially abused – we can confirm that we’re investigating. ‘Officers have been in touch with the taxi driver this morning and have made an appointment to see him as soon as possible. In the meantime our efforts to trace the passenger are ongoing.’
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