A MAN suspected of racially abusing a black taxi driver in Dublin has handed himself in to Gardai.
It comes after the authorities launched an investigation into alarming dashcam footage of an inebriated man racially abusing and physically assaulting a driver.
Footage of the incident first surfaced on Twitter over the weekend.
It is reported to have happened at around 10pm on Easter Sunday along Malahide Road in Donnycarney in North Dublin.
In the video, the visibly drunk man can be seen asking the taxi driver: “What’s your favourite position?”
“I don’t understand what you mean by my favourite position,” the driver responds.
At this point the passenger can be heard using a racial slur before trying to hit the driver several times.
The racist abuse continues, with the passenger at one point claiming he is a police officer.
The driver attempts to restrain the man, who eventually exits the vehicle before trying to open the taxi driver’s door.
Thankfully the driver has already locked the door and is able to close the passenger door, lock it and drive off before the situation escalates further.
The footage was shared by taxi driver Damien Hetherington.
He shared the video to highlight one example of the physical and verbal abuse his drivers have suffered in recent weeks.
In the wake of the clip going viral, a man has handed him into a north Dublin Garda station.
The authorities have asked that people not share the video any further on social media.
“A suspect in the case has presented themselves at a north Dublin Garda station and gardaí are following a definite line of enquiry,” a statement said.
“Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to contact Clontarf Garda station 01 6664800 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.”
