Paris Uber driver claims he was beaten and robbed over his Jewish name
Taxi driver mugged and assaulted during allegedly antisemitic attack by person who targeted him due to his name
A French-Jewish taxi driver was mugged and beaten in what he said was an antisemitic crime by perpetrators who targeted him because of his Jewish-sounding name.
The driver, a 33-year-old man from the Paris region whose first name is Israel Hai, said he accepted a ride in Clichy Sous-Bois near Paris early Thursday morning through the Uber application. Drivers and passengers can see one another’s names ahead of the ride.
This is what happened next, Israeli Hai told his wife and parents:
A man in his 20s was waiting for him at the appointed place and asked to sit in the front seat. Then a group of about 10 young men surrounded the car. One of the perpetrators told Israel Hai, “Israel, you k***, you have money, we’re going to need to frisk you.” The men then beat the driver forcefully in the head, causing him to black out.
The perpetrators then pulled him outside of the car by his hair, kicked him and stole his jewellery. Some of them were wearing balaclavas, and some beat him with batons. They then stole his car, glasses, wallet and his shoes. Bruised and barefoot, Israel Hai asked passersby to drive him to a police station, where officers also referred him to medical attention.
He had light injuries and was discharged with a concussion.
His parents filed a complaint on his behalf with police and the National Bureau for Vigilance Against antisemitism, or BNVCA.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
