Police Investigates Alleged Racist Abuse Against Pakistan-Born Taxi Driver (VIDEO)
Warning: Video contains expletive language. Not for the faint hearted.
Just like any other family man, Invercargill taxi driver Tariq Humayun was just there to work for a day's honest living. But he never expected that the guy he would pick up from the central city would quell him so bad he's now almost close to the brink of thinking that Kiwis probably all are racists.
"I'm feeling very disheartened and upset. It was a bit shocking. I came here for a better future," Mr Humayun was quoted by the New Zealand Herald. Humayun is a Pakistan-born taxi driver.
Mr Humayun was cruising along the central city when Gregory Shuttleworth, every inch a New Zealand guy based on the video accompanying this article, hailed him down at around 1am on Friday morning.
As was habitual, either the taxi driver or the cab passenger would strike a conversation just the pass the travel time.
Little did Mr Humayun knew that his simple, no-nonsense reply to Mr Shuttleworth's question asking where he came from would earn him the latter's racist tirades.
Mr Shuttleworth, a technician for engineering firm Jesco, called the poor taxi driver an "Islam prick.''
"F*** off back to where you come from."
He even said he will pay Mr Humayun the $7 fare if "you tell me that you'll piss off back to the country where you come from ... you shouldn't be in New Zealand in the first place ... we don't require your Muslim bulls*** in this country.''
Still, Mr Humayun would like to believe not every Kiwi man was like Mr Shuttleworth, who has since apologized for his behaviour, blaming it to too much drinking.
But then, Mr Shuttleworth might not have owed up to what he did had not the Pakistan-born driver had the guts to tape the racist abuse on his cell phone during the trip in Invercargill.
"There are a lot of good people, but there are some nasty people who abuse me because I'm from some other country," Mr Humayun said.
Maggie Windle, Senior Sergeant of the Invercargill Police, said Mr Humayun drove to the police station shortly after, still shaken, and reported the incident.
"Police inquiries are continuing, and [we] intend to speak with the victim again."
Lucky for Mr Shuttleworth, he cannot be prosecuted by his country's Human Rights Commission.
Although indeed "appalling, we are limited in what action we could take," Dame Susan Devoy, race relations commissioner, told TV ONE's Breakfast.
"It's absolutely disgraceful and unfortunately it still continues here in New Zealand.
"Freedom of expression and freedom of speech allows us to be as offensive as we like without being able to do anything, but equally I think the gentlemen concerned should know that freedom of religion and freedom of belief is really important too," she said.
"Obviously he should be extraordinarily ashamed of himself and I hope that he makes the appropriate amends to try and form some sort of reconciliation with this gentlemen."
Hear for yourself the conversation between the proud Kiwi man Gregory Shuttleworth and Pakistan-born taxi driver Invercargill taxi driver Tariq Humayun.