FOREIGN taxi drivers in Bournemouth are being subjected to racial abuse partly because of the troubles in Iraq and the Middle East.

The comments, mainly from drunk clubbers, have increased in the last few months and sparked police and council officers to remind the culprits that any form of racial crime will not be tolerated.

They are also encouraging victims to make sure they report racial abuse or attacks so police can have a clearer picture of the problem.

Around 200 of the 1,100 taxi drivers in Bournemouth are foreign and originate from all over the world including the Middle East, Far East and Russia.

Kenyan-born Hassan has lived in the United Kingdom for more than 20 years and has worked as a taxi driver for three years.

He said "I have received indirect racism from drunken customers who ask what I am doing here and why I have come; unfortunately it is one of those things and I have grown to expect it. I know it is because of my accent and Arab appearance, and it has been spurred on since the troubles in Iraq."

And Moncef Chabaii, 52, originally from Tunisia, has lived in Britain for 36 years and driven taxis for eight.

He said: "Ask anyone, racism towards taxi drivers is rife. I have received insults from drunken louts regularly and have even been at the receiving end of verbal and physical attacks."

Bournemouth council says five drivers have made complaints about racist abuse in the last three months.

Inspector Neil MacBean, of Bournemouth Police, said: "It seems there is a simmering undercurrent at the moment, particularly in light of what is happening in Iraq and the Middle East there are a lot of racist comments passed especially by the Friday and Saturday night drunks. Some of them have materialised into racist attacks, but thankfully not many.

"We want to send out the message that neither Dorset Police nor Bournemouth Borough Council will tolerate attacks or racist abuse towards taxi drivers. We will continue to support them and prosecute such offences and stamp out this insidious behaviour."

Insp McBean urged victims to report the crime and said that some people are too scared to tell the police or too busy at the time.

"If we had every single incident reported we would be able to guage it and think of a way forward to resolve it."

Rob White, group manager commercial at Bournemouth council, said: "Clearly we would encourage any driver to report any incident straight to the police. If they came to us first we could ask them to tell the police and we would report it to the police ourselves.

"It is completely unacceptable."

If you would like to report a racist incident call Dorset Police on 01202 552099.

First published: November 16