Uber Driver Drags Gay Passenger Down Street With Car

While it happened, the alleged victim's husband pleaded for the driver to stop from the back seat of the taxi.

Married couple Alex Majkowski and Taray Carey who allegedly suffered a homophobic attack by an Uber driver

In an alleged homophobic assault in the US state of New York, an Uber driver verbally attacked a gay married couple before dragging one of them along a busy street with his car.

Husbands Taray Carey and Alex Majkowski were sharing a taxi with a friend. When the couple exchanged hugs, they allege it enraged the driver, who immediately became verbally abusive. After many gay slurs were used, Carey asked what the problem was. The Uber driver told him “in his country we would be beheaded and left for dead.”

Continuing the rant, the taxi stopped at a red light, where the trio took the opportunity to leave the car. Carey and the couple’s friend exited, but while Majkowski was still inside, the car took off. Carey was still only part way out of the car at the time. He told news station WNBC: “He floored it and gunned forward, dragging me half a block down East 4th Street.”

While Carey clung on to the taxi, his husband in the back pleaded with the driver “I said: ‘Let me out, let me out, let me out,’ just over and over until he stopped.”

The couple called the police but allege the authorities would not treat it as a hate crime. Carey said: “I was very emotional and I asked can you put out some information so nobody else is hurt tonight.” He continued that the police were unhelpful, attributing blame to the couple.

Hugh Lane

The police deny the claim, saying body cam footage would back them up. The incident report labelled the event as a vehicle leaving the scene of an accident.

While Uber have removed the driver from their app following the alleged incident, the Taxi and Limousine Commission say his licence is still active. Uber followed: “What’s been reported is very concerning to us and Uber does not tolerate any form of discrimination.”

© 2018 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.

Support GCN

GCN is a free, vital resource for Ireland’s LGBTQ+ community since 1988.

GCN is a trading name of National LGBT Federation CLG, a registered charity - Charity Number: 20034580.

GCN relies on the generous support of the community and allies to sustain the crucial work that we do. Producing GCN is costly, and, in an industry which has been hugely impacted by rising costs, we need your support to help sustain and grow this vital resource.

Supporting GCN for as little as €1.99 per month will help us continue our work as Ireland’s free, independent LGBTQ+ media.

0 comments. Please sign in to comment.