Video shows passenger racially abusing Birmingham taxi driver

A video has been released showing a taxi driver being subjected to a torrent of racist abuse by a passenger.

The clip, which has been viewed more than a million times on Twitter, shows driver Abid Mustafa, from Birmingham, remaining calm while being abused by the man, who swears throughout.

Father-of-four Mr Mustafa told the BBC he was called a "Muslim terrorist" and told "go back to your own country".

West Midlands Police is trying to trace the passenger.

Mr Mustafa said the abuse started as soon as the man was picked up in the Birmingham suburb of Erdington and demanded to sit in the front seat, despite Covid-19 precautions.

In the video the man can be seen saying: "Who do you think you are?

"You think you're something special - Pakistan?"

Abid Mustafa said the abuse had made him feel "hurt"

Mr Mustafa, who has transported vital Covid-19 samples for the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust during the pandemic, warns his passenger he will put the recorded footage on Facebook, which the man, who can be heard apparently slurring his words, dismisses.

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The 39-year-old driver said at one point the passenger said: "You're from Pakistan, and you've come here to rob our country, take our money to back home. You guys are terrorists."

He said it was "not easy to keep calm" but in his profession "we see this quite often". He hopes the footage, filmed on 15 May, will prompt councils to fit CCTV in all taxis.

West Midlands Police said: "We're aware of a video circulating online that shows a taxi driver being racially abused - we can confirm that we're investigating."

Officers have been in touch with Mr Mustafa and will be meeting him, the force added.