Taxi drivers at a public meeting have painted a picture of Christchurch’s mean streets, describing being assaulted, stabbed, robbed, abused and thrown up on by drunks.
All demanded quicker police responses and more follow-up on offenders.
Organised by National MP Nicky Wagner in the wake of the death of taxi driver Abdulrahman Ikhtiari, the drivers’ stories at the meeting at the Refugee and Migrant Centre last night included:
A driver who was slashed in the face with a knife by two youths, who were sentenced to community service.
A driver who was arrested for using bad language after he had called police about a man who jumping on his bonnet.
A driver punched in the face through his car window after his vehicle was rammed in a road-rage incident.
Women offering sexual favours in return for rides or threatening sexual assault complaints if not let off their fares.
The drivers believed police did not prioritise their calls.
The mainly immigrant drivers said police needed to listen to them – the sober ones – rather than the drunk patrons.
Refugee support worker Rubina Nawabi said Ikhtiari’s death was the result of years of police inaction.
Many of the criminals were repeat offenders and “if they had nipped it in the bud, it never would have happened”.
“These people are easy prey,” she said, indicating the immigrant drivers.
“It’s very much racial. The first question they ask is `where are you from?’ When they hear Afghanistan, it’s `Oh, Osama bin Laden’.”
Hassan, a Gold Band Taxis driver, said all drivers had the same stories.
“You think you are a slave. People do whatever they want. When you call the police, everyone abuses you; no-one supports you.”
Another driver said people who did “runners” on taxis were not prioritised. Inspector Derek Erasmus, Canterbury Road Policing manager, said police had to prove intent to commit fraud, which made the “runner” a hard crime to prosecute. Taxi drivers should not pick up passengers they were doubtful about.
NZPA.
