Third case of violence against food delivery driver reported in Qatar

A video of another attack on a food delivery driver in Qatar has been circulating online since Tuesday. This is the third incident of violence against a delivery driver in the country.

This time, it shows that a Talabat rider is being dragged by a man violently in public. Two similar incidents have occurred in the past few weeks, which sparked a local debate over social superiority.

The footage appeared to show the perpetrator dragging a driver from his bike onto the sidewalk, while yelling at him in another language.

Later, another man appears in the video, trying to stop the attacker to leave the Talabat employee.

In a statement to Doha News, Tarabat condemned the attack and said it was standing on its workers.

“At Talabat, we prioritize the safety of everyone who uses the app, and our team is always ready to support you in the event of a complaint,” a spokeswoman said.

“We are investigating this incident and will take the necessary steps as part of our ongoing commitment to the safety of all riders using the platform in Qatar and the region.”

The footage of the incident appeared third in the last few weeks, causing anger online, and the public immediately came to the rider’s defense and called on authorities to take action against the perpetrators.

Last month, another video of an attack on Talabat employees went viral following another driver at food and grocery delivery app Wishbox.

In the latter, a Qatari man hit the driver’s head with a plastic bucket because his companion stood aside and did little to stop him. Authorities took swift action against the attackers the next day.

“During COVID Crisis, delivery partners played a crucial role supporting the community, serving for sick and people under Home Quarantines. At times, we react to late deliveries while the actual reason of the delayed delivery could be due to busy kitchen of the restaurant, traffic Jam on peak hours, diversion due to road constructions, parking availability, etc...,” Wishbox said.

In the second case, a white man was seen beating a civil servant, but it is unclear if any action was taken.

The disturbing video sparked a conversation about the treatment of essential workers, after years of emphasizing their importance, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Greater debates over social superiority have also ignited among online social media users, and many suggest that such violence will not be seen against white-collar workers.