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Private Hire Drivers Warn of Repeat Far-Right Riots After Union Survey

Presented at the GMB’s Brighton conference, the survey found that 85% of drivers expect similar violence to last year’s riots to recur.

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Overview

  • A GMB poll of 400 private hire drivers exposed frequent threats of knives, machetes, racial abuse and stones hurled at vehicles.
  • 46% of respondents reported being directly affected by last summer’s far-right attacks against immigration centres and charities.
  • Some drivers have begun carrying baseball bats for protection and many admit to feeling too scared to take shifts.
  • Last year’s unrest led to more than 1,000 arrests and left hundreds injured across the UK.
  • GMB national officer Eamon O’Hearn said drivers were on the “front line” of the unrest and called for urgent measures to improve their safety.