London Police Warned Taxi Drivers Their Planned Protest Against Uber Could Be Illegal
The tweet includes a letter that is addressed to "Licensed Taxi Driver" and is signed by Met Operations commander Peter Terry.
"The Metropolitan Police Service is aware, through the media that your profession are in dispute with Transport for London in relation to a particular App," the letter begins. "We are keen to work with your profession to facilitate a peaceful protest and to progress this we would ask that organisers contact us using the methods detailed above ..."
"If no notification is made we may have to impose conditions on any anticipated demonstration, without considering your wishes and views, to reduce the risk of serious disruption and consequent danger arising out of interference with the work of the emergency services. Those failing to comply with any imposed conditions will place themselves at risk of arrest and persecution."
The conflict between taxi drivers and Uber has been on the rise in London as the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association is convinced that Uber is illegal. Transport for London disagrees and thus the London taxi drivers have been planning to protest by shutting down service in parts of the city. Drivers in London have been planning to protest around Trafalgar Square starting at 2 p.m. on Wednesday.
Steve McNamara, the general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, told The Wall Street Journal that he did not plan to respond to the police's tweet.
Prior to the police's tweet, McNamara had already said, "If [the police] start getting silly and turning cabs away, well, it might last a lot longer."
Here is a screenshot of the tweet:
- US buys 81 Soviet-era combat aircraft from Russia's ally costing on average less than $20,000 each, report says
- 2 states where home prices are falling because there are too many houses and not enough buyers
- A couple accidentally shipped their cat in an Amazon return package. It arrived safely 6 days later, hundreds of miles away.
- Include 4 hrs of physical activity, 8 hrs sleep in routine for optimal health, suggests study
- 11 must-visit tourist places in Nainital in 2024
- Indegene's ₹1,842 crore IPO to open on May 6
- BSE shares tank nearly 19% after Sebi directive on regulatory fee
- Nainital bucket list: 9 experiences you can't miss in 2024