06 August 2018•Update: 07 August 2018
By Mesut Zeyrek
COLOGNE, Germany
An ethnic Turkish taxi driver in Cologne, Germany who was subjected to a racist attack is preparing to file a complaint against the attacker, he told Anadolu Agency on Monday
Celal Kaya, who has been a cabbie in Cologne’s Porz district for 20 years, was subjected to a racist attack by a German customer on Saturday night.
The cabbie, 44, said he got a doctor’s report giving him three days’ leave, adding that he will file a criminal complaint against the attacker.
Kaya said the incident occurred when he refused to turn up the music, fearful of causing noise pollution late at night.
“I picked three customers around 2.30 a.m. and they wanted me to turn up the music in the car," he related.
"I turned it up a bit, but the drunk person sitting in the back wanted me to turn it up more.
“So I wouldn’t cause a disturbance in the neighborhood, I politely said it wasn’t possible, and that’s when everything changed.”
When they arrived at the destination, the same drunk person started to say racist things like “dirty foreigner,” “cockroaches,” and “leave Germany and go back to your country.”
Kaya said he asked the German man to get out of the car and opened the door, which is when the customer started punching him.
The police came and got the situation under control, he added.
He said racism in Germany had recently been on the rise, with growing rage against Turks and Muslims.
In late July, a Turkish-origin footballer quit Germany’s national team, citing discrimination and racist propaganda he faced in recent months.
*Sena Guler in Ankara contributed to this report
