NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Los Angeles, CA, December 2, 2024: An Indian American destination wedding photographer and his family including three sons were at the receiving end of a racist rant by a woman on a United Airlines transfer bus at Los Angeles International Airport after a flight from Cancun.
Pervez Taufiq and his family were targeted by a woman who made offensive comments about their ethnicity, sparking outrage among passengers.
According to Taufiq, who caught the rant on video, the woman had earlier harassed his young son during the flight, asking if he was Indian and making derogatory remarks. The situation escalated on the bus when she told the child to “shut up,” prompting Taufiq to intervene. The woman continued her tirade, insisting Taufiq wasn’t American. Taufiq can be heard asserting that he was born in the United States.
At the beginning of the video, the woman can be seen flashing both middle fingers at Taufiq. A little later, she says, “Your family is from India, you have no respect, you have no rules, you think you can push everyone, push, push, push. That’s what you think you are. You guys are f–king crazy.”
Passengers on the bus expressed their discomfort and urged staff to remove the woman. United Airlines staff eventually intervened, escorting her off the bus. Taufiq praised the airline’s handling of the incident, noting that the woman was placed on the no-fly list.
“United handled this like a champ,” Taufiq said. He also expressed gratitude to the passengers who supported his family, stating, “Blown away these types of people still exist.”
The incident, which occurred on November 24, has sparked widespread discussions on social media about the persistence of racism in public spaces.
