Collective Action

Drivers attempt to storm TV studio during Uber debate

A clash between Uber and taxi drivers broke out outside a Beirut TV station at night as the groups attempted to storm local channel Al-Jadeed’s studios during a live broadcast debate on Uber’s operations in Lebanon. The incident took place during the broadcast of Tony Khalife’s prime-time TV show “Eye to Eye.”

The show featured a heated debate between Fadi al-Fariq, a driver with the popular ride-hailing app Uber, Charles Bou Hard, owner of Charles Taxi and president of the taxi company owners’ union, and Abdel-Hafiz al-Qaisi of the Transportation Ministry. It was just a small part of the wider debate on Uber that has played out across the country’s media over the last week following the murder of British national Rebecca Dykes by a registered Uber driver.

A crowd gathered outside the Al-Jadeed studios while the debate was taking place, comprised of two factions: one of Uber Drivers, the other of Charlie Taxi drivers. Clashes broke out, although sources from Al-Jadeed TV told The Daily Star that frustrations were directed at the two sides, rather than against studio staff. A statement from Al-Jadeed clarified that reports studio staff had been attacked were untrue.

According to the statement, the studio called Internal Security Forces, which then intervened to disperse the crowd

Date: 
December 23, 2017
Actors/ Mobilising structures: 
Affected group (inc. NIMBY)
Mode of Action: 
Building blockade / occupation
Objective: 
Protest of a policy/ governmental measure/ etc.
Cause/ Grievances/ Framing CA: 
Access to socio-eco rights
Spatial characteristics: 
Location on the Lebanese territory
Frequency: 
Episodic
State response: 
Repression

LBN11009

Village Name: 
Beirut
Local Name: 
Bachoura
Caza: 
Associated HRV: 
34282