Police in Northern Ireland have launched an appeal for witnesses after a taxi driver was knocked unconscious in what officers are treating as a racially-motivated hate crime in Belfast city centre.
The incident happened on Talbot Street, in the Cathedral Quarter, at around 11:10pm on Saturday 16 May. According to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the driver — a man in his 30s — was approached by two men and a woman.
Inspector Moutray said one of the men became aggressive after the driver refused to take them, due to a pre-arranged booking already in place. The man then started using racial slurs, spat at the driver twice and punched the taxi’s window.
When the driver got out of his vehicle, he was punched in the face. The blow knocked him to the ground, where he briefly lost consciousness. As he tried to get back up, the second man punched him again, leaving cuts around his mouth.
Police described the woman as wearing a black dress. Both men were said to be of muscular build, one in a white shirt and the other in a red T-shirt.
Inspector Moutray said: “We’re appealing for any information as our enquiries continue into this unprovoked attack, which is being treated as a racially-motivated hate crime. There is no place for hate, racism or violence in our communities. Everyone has the right to feel safe and be treated with dignity and respect.”
The Cathedral Quarter is one of Belfast’s busiest nightlife areas, and the assault happened on a Saturday evening when the streets would have been packed with people heading home. Police are urging anyone who saw what happened to come forward.
Anyone with information can contact the PSNI on 101 quoting reference number 1810 16/05/26, or 999 in an emergency.
Attacks on private hire and hackney drivers remain a serious concern across the UK and Northern Ireland, and incidents like this are a reminder of just how exposed drivers can be — especially late at night, working alone, with limited options for help when things turn nasty.
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