Indian American photographer Pervez Taufiq captured a video of a woman verbally attacking his family with racist slurs on a United Airlines shuttle bus. The woman called his family “tandoori” and “stinky” and said they were “not American.” The harassment began on the flight when she questioned Taufiq’s son about his race. On the shuttle bus, she continued to verbally abuse the family, prompting Taufiq to start filming her racist tirade. Despite asserting his American identity, the woman continued to spew derogatory comments at the family. The video was posted on Instagram and gained support from thousands of followers, including South Asian influencers and journalist Katie Couric. The woman spoke to United employees after the incident but was not identified by Taufiq. United declined to comment on the video. Taufiq expressed disappointment in United’s lack of action, and he is considering reporting the incident to the FBI. The most challenging aspect of the experience has been explaining racism to his children, particularly his 11-year-old son who was the original target. The outpouring of support from the community has been reassuring for Taufiq, who believes in the goodness of people despite this incident.
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United Airlines bus passengers direct racist remarks at Indian American family
