Being an Uber driver in Zagreb is a dangerous job.
At a parking lot near the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb, unknown masked men broke windows of a Citroen car during the night and threw an incendiary device in it, reports Index.hr on September 27, 2016.
Fortunately, no one was injured in the fire, which burned the car beyond recognition. However, police reported that during the attack a 36-year-old Uber driver was in the car. The fire was extinguished by fire-fighters, and the driver got out unharmed. The attackers left in an unknown direction, and the police are conducting an investigation. There are several buildings with surveillance cameras nearby which could help the police in the investigation.
“We are shocked with the information that one of our partner-drivers, who is an independent contractor trying to earn a living, was attacked early this morning in such a brutal manner by a group of unknown perpetrators. At the moment, our focus is primarily on assisting our driver, who will receive legal assistance and financial support. Our team is in constant contact with the victim of the attack. We are glad that during the attack there were no passengers in the vehicle and that our driver did not suffer any serious physical injuries. However, the vehicle has been totally burned. We plan to fully cooperate with the police and all relevant institutions and help them identify the attackers as soon as possible”, said Uber in a statement.
The police said that they considered this case to be an act of endangering life and property. However, the manner in which the driver was attacked clearly shows that a much worse scenario could have easily happened.
It is not yet known who the attackers were or what their motives were. However, the attack comes just days after an incident in Velika Gorica, where a group of local taxi drivers surrounded and threatened one Uber driver. In that case, the police reacted quickly and called for an interview all the attackers.
Since its arrival in Zagreb, Uber is under attack, and Uber drivers are often having unpleasant experiences.
