Uber Driver Banned After Racially Abusing Black Passenger in Viral Video

Uber has banned a driver after a video showing the man calling a Black passenger a racial slur went viral on TikTok.

The clip, posted by Abby Nicole, has amassed more than 370,000 views since it was posted on the platform on Tuesday night. According to a July USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll, "45 percent of Americans said racism is a big problem or the biggest problem facing the United States. About 38 percent of respondents said racism is a problem but not one of the biggest facing the nation. Only about 14 percent of Americans said racism is not a problem."

It shows her in a verbal altercation with the driver, who calls her the N-word as she is stepping out of the vehicle.

In the video's caption, Nicole alleged that the driver "put his car in reverse and pushed the gas" as she gathered her belongings, and hit her with the vehicle while the car door remained open.

"Discrimination and violence are never acceptable, and we do not tolerate that behavior on the Uber platform," an Uber spokesperson told Newsweek via email.

"We've banned the driver from the Uber platform, and reached out to the rider to check in with her."

The spokesperson did not immediately provide any further details about the driver or the incident, including where it took place. Newsweek has contacted Nicole for comment via email.

The video begins with the driver threatening to call the police on the passenger. "Call the police for what?" she asks him.

"I will call the police," the driver tells the woman. When she asks why, he tells her, "Because I don't want you in my car."

She then asks if it is because she had asked him to turn the air conditioning in the car down.

"That's part of the reason," he says. "The other reason is you said, 'Come through the gate.' All the gates are locked."

After she tells him there is a call button, he tells her: "We're not going to discuss any further."

"Weird," she says. "It's giving racist. You're a racist."

Then as she is getting out of the vehicle, he calls her the N-word.

"You heard me," he says when she asks him to repeat it.

"Cause I'm a what? Cause I'm a n*****?" she says.

"Cause you're acting like one," he replied.

"Because you're kicking me out because I asked you to turn the AC down because you're my driver," she says. "I'm a n*****, right? Say it again."

"I'm not saying nothing... no. Have a good day," he says, as the video ends.

In the caption, Nicole wrote that she asked the driver "politely to please turn his ac down because it was blowing so hard in my face."

She adds that her phone "cut off from recording because he then put his car in reverse and pushed the gas while I was still trying to get my belongings and HIT ME WHILE THE CAR DOOR WAS OPEN."