New York: An Uber driver has been coughed on, pepper sprayed and assaulted by passengers who ripped off his mask after he says he asked them to wear a face covering.
Subhakar Khadka, 32, says he was racially abused by the three women after picking them up in the Bayview area of San Francisco on Sunday.
Shocking footage filmed on Khadka’s car camera shows as one of the women coughs in his direction before leaning forward to grab his phone and then rip off his mask.
Khadka says another of the women then pepper sprayed inside his car.
Uber says it has suspended the account of the woman who ordered the car.
Khadka, who moved to the US from Nepal eight years ago to support his family said, ‘If I was another complexion, I would have not gotten that treatment from them. The moment I opened my mouth to speak, they realized I’m among one of them, so it’s easy for them to intimidate me.’
Uber said in a statement: ‘The behavior seen in the video is appalling. The rider no longer has access to Uber.’
They have given Khadka $120 in cleaning funds.
Meanwhile, a fundraiser for Khadka had raised $93,091 of a goal or $20,000 as of Mar. 13, set up by Cyan Banister, one of the first investors in Uber.
