By Charlene Tebbutt

Taxi companies react

Taxi companies react to online social media allegations

Feb 6, 2019 | 5:00 PM

As an alleged case of forcible confinement continues to be investigated by police, local cab companies are dealing with public reaction and threatening language after being singled out on social media.

An incident in the Unit Block of 28^th St. W. early Monday morning generated Facebook videos and hundreds of online comments from the public. The Prince Albert Police Service said in a media release late Tuesday that they have also received calls about the incident.

Social media commentary on the incident included numerous people saying a man was held against his will after being picked up in a cab. Videos posted to Facebook show a man walking through a parking lot calling out for help.

Police say no arrests have been made in the incident and they are aware of the online posts. The owners of the city’s local cab companies say the online comments have hurt their image and targeted them unfairly.

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Pardeep Kumar owns the dispatch office at Checker Family Taxi in Prince Albert and said he’s aware of the posts. Kumar said those with safety concerns should go to police first and said some of the language in the posts has been hurtful.

“They’re not posting those Facebook posts in a decent manner,” Kumar told paNOW. “The first and foremost thing, they should go to the police and the police should investigate … there are a hundred different, better ways to use Facebook than this.”

Kumar is also concerned with the racist tone of many of the comments, saying cab drivers are licensed and just trying to make a living.

“Why would you put all those words that are not supposed to be in there?” he added. “If something happens and you want to put it in there, you put it decently.”

Hetalkumar Patel, who runs Grey Cab, said cab drivers are often targets of threats and sometimes violence while driving.

“This is something where you didn’t do anything, but you are getting response from all of the customers,” Patel said. “I have family here, I am here for working, not for anything else,” Patel said.

paNOW contacted numerous people who posted online about the incident. No one returned requests for comment.

Charlene.tebbutt@jbpg.ca

On Twitter: @CharleneTebbutt