TAXI DRIVERS OF THE WORLD UNITE
Anti-Uber demonstrations clog city streets from U.S. to Africa
Toronto narrowly escaped a taxi drivers’ anti-Uber protest over the upcoming NBA all-stars weekend when a lastditch appeal by councillors and tourism officials ended in a decision to call it off. But as Toronto continues to debate how to end or regulate the UberX service, cab drivers — and sometimes Uber drivers — are clogging streets around the world to protest the way the conflict is being handled. London: Thousands of the city’s black-cab drivers took to a protest near Parliament Wednesday. As in other cities, the drivers’ main complaint was the government’s inaction on reining in Uber. Montreal: Taxi drivers in the city protested against the service Wednesday, blocking the area around Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport in the morning, while protests in other locations were planned throughout the day. Quebec Transport Minister Jacques Daoust and Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre were also calling for a suspension of the service. Ottawa: Taxi drivers from Toronto were among those who drove to Ottawa for a Feb. 2 protest at Parliament Hill, calling on the federal government to step in with regulations. Also attending were Brampton East MP Raj Grewal and Unifor Canada president Jerry Dias. Nairobi, Kenya: Taxi drivers in Kenya are asking the government to shut down Uber and will start protests next week, The Associated Press reported. Kenyan police said they were investigating alleged attacks on Uber drivers. San Jose, Costa Rica: Taxi drivers in Costa Rica went on strike and pro- tested Uber on Feb. 1. As in other countries, Costa Rica’s taxi drivers are demanding the government block Uber from operating in the country. New York City: In New York, it was the Uber drivers, not taxi drivers, who protested. After Uber announced it was slashing prices across the U.S., hundreds of drivers gathered at the company’s headquarters to protest on Feb. 2. Paris: Uber drivers also staged their own protest in this city last week, after the country announced it was cracking down on the service in response to a three-day strike by taxi drivers. The government moved to shut down Uber in July 2015 after violent protests.