Hundreds of Uber users have taken screenshots of themselves deleting the ride-hailing app, accusing it of profiting from a strike by New York’s taxi drivers held against President Donald Trump’s ban on Muslim travellers and refugees.
The hashtag #DeleteUber trended worldwide on Sunday as users also accused the company’s CEO of collaborating with the new US president.
Drivers affiliated with the New York Taxi Workers Alliance had on Saturday refused to pick up airport passengers between 6pm and 7pm local time as protesters rallied against Trump’s discriminatory ban inside John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) .
Hundreds gathered at the airport’s Terminal Four arrivals section holding placards and chanting: “No ban, no wall, sanctuary for all!” and “no hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here!”
Users said Uber continued to service rides to and from JFK, while taxi drivers held the strike against Trump’s order banning refugees and travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries.
However, while Uber automatically charges more for rides when demand is high, the company switched this function off during the one-hour taxi strike.
The city’s taxi drivers, many of whom are immigrants or have roots in Muslim-majority countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh, had urged Uber to join their boycott
#deleteUber Here’s the NY Taxi Workers Alliance Statement on the refugee ban. @Uber is still trying to go to JFK anyway pic.twitter.com/qQAkPm2r9s— Eric Murphy (@EricRMurphy) January 29, 2017
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