A Muslim family were called ‘dirty P*ki Muslims’ by an Uber driver who refused to take them a cemetery in Watford for a family member’s funeral.
The incident occurred on the morning of September 29.
Asad Awan contacted Tell MAMA hours later to report the abuse, adding that the Uber driver was, at first, uncooperative as he was unable to find the cemetery, despite the sensitivity of their request.
Mr Awan was travelling with family members when he decided to exit the vehicle to get directions from locals after their Uber driver had pulled over and refused to take them further because he ‘didn’t feel like it’.
When Mr Awan returned, however, he found his family members stood at the roadside in a distraught state, as their Uber driver had kicked them out of the vehicle and shouted ‘dirty P*ki Muslims’ at them as he drove off.
The Islamophobic incident has been reported to Tell MAMA and the Metropolitan Police.
Uber did refund the family but Tell MAMA is writing to the company to lodge a formal complaint on behalf of Mr Awan and his family.
The driver in question is described as being male, Asian, who is in his 40s or 50s.
Speaking to Tell MAMA, Mr Awan described his anguish and anger at what had occurred, as the family remain shocked at the driver’s behaviour but felt that it was vital to act and report him, so he could not get away with it. The seriousness of the incident only began to sink in after the funeral given the obvious emotional distress the family were under that day.
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