Inverness taxi firms unite to ban woman charged with hate crime
Two taxi firms in Inverness have condemned the actions of a woman charged with allegedly racially abusing a driver.
Police Scotland released a statement yesterday confirming that a 59-year-old woman had been charged after inquiries into a viral video circulating on social media appeared to show a woman passenger verbally abusing a taxi driver.
Police are treating the incident as a hate crime.
The driver's employer, Inverness City Taxis, shared the Police Scotland statement on Facebook, saying they are "deeply appalled and saddened" by the incident and that they have banned the individual charged from using their taxis.
The statement said: "We unequivocally condemn any form of racial discrimination, hatred, or abuse, and we stand firmly against such reprehensible actions.
"The safety and wellbeing of our drivers and passengers are of paramount importance to us. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful environment within our company and throughout the communities we serve. We do not tolerate any behaviour that threatens the dignity, respect, or personal safety of our employees or customers.
"We will co-operate fully with the authorities to ensure that justice is served. We believe that diversity is one of our greatest strengths, and we will continue to work tirelessly to promote tolerance, understanding, and equality within our organisation and the broader society.
"The individual who has been charged for this appalling act will no longer be able to book a taxi through us."
Inverness Taxis also slammed the behaviour shown in the clip, stating: "This woman will never ever get a taxi from IT Taxis.
"The driver did an amazing job in the circumstances and is a credit to our industry."
