By Gina Martinez
After a recent string of attacks against cab drivers, state Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-Flushing) is calling for stricter penalties against the perpetrators.
Kim stood with assaulted cab drivers and community organizers Monday morning at Flushing Town Hall, where he revealed his plans to introduce an amendment to the Taxi Driver Protection Act, stiffening punishments for anyone who attacks on-the-job taxi drivers.
Kim said the increasing number of attacks by passengers on taxi and for-hire drivers has brought greater attention to the dangers of the job. By changing the Penal Law, Kim’s amended legislation would raise the penalty for assaulting a taxi driver from a misdemeanor to a felony. The legislation would also add for-hire driving to a list of protected occupations, which currently includes public transportation workers. According to Kim, a second provision of the bill would require adding signs in taxis and for-hire cars that inform passengers of the legal consequences of assaulting drivers. While this law already exists in New York City, Kim’s amendment would extend it to the rest of the state.
“These assaults against drivers are completely unacceptable,” Kim said. “They are everyday New Yorkers just trying to make a living, working hard to put food on the table for their families. Right now hitting a bus driver or public transportation worker is a felony, but punching a taxi driver is only a misdemeanor. I am introducing this bill to raise the penalty for assaulting for-hire drivers while they are working, because I believe it is my responsibility as a state lawmaker to ensure the safety of all New Yorkers.”
At the press conference were recent victims of assault who talked about their experiences. A large percentage of for-hire drivers in New York are South Asian, and 55 percent of cab drivers in New York City are from Queens. The accounts of the victims’ ordeals suggested race or religion may have been a factor in the violence. SM Uddin and Anwar Syed both spoke about their attacks and the common connection was that the passengers asked them where they were from before they were assaulted. Sayed said he was attacked with a flashlight and his turban was ripped off.
“I was respectful to them,” Syed said. “But they were not respectful to me. We are all equals, there is no difference between us. We should all respect each other.”
Kim said the rise in attacks is due to national intolerance.
“In light of some national anti-immigrant sentiment, and an expansion of companies like Uber and Lyft in New York, it’s a perfect formula for more crimes to occur against drivers,” Kim said. “It’s no secret that there’s a trend of attacks against Southeast Asians, Sikh, Bangladeshi and Pakistani drivers for the last few months. National anti-immigrant sentiment has fueled the hatred that has emboldened people to act violently when they should be resolving conflicts, one-on-one. This is problematic. One thing we can do as a state is to send a strong signal that it’s not acceptable, we will not stand idly and let people attack drivers.”
A representative from the South Asian American Voice supported the amended legislation and said it sends a strong message to the rest of the country.
“Every time someone is attacked, we’re all attacked,” she said. “It’s not asking too much that the great state of New York add these provisions to support drivers. We already protect transit workers. All forms of transportation workers should be protected. This sends a message to the entire United States that New York City and state takes initiative, and sends a message to everyone, especially the Trump administration.”
Reach Gina Martinez by e-mail at gmart
