Colliers Wood cabbie targeted by racist graffiti

A family has been left “traumatised” after they were targeted by racist graffiti

Taxi driver Mohammad Irfan Bashir, who is of Pakistani origin, discovered the word BNP sprayed all over his car just before Christmas. Shocked neighbours knocked on the door of Mr Bashir, who lives with his wife and three children in Devonshire Road, Colliers Wood, on December 21 to tell him his vehicle had been vandalised while parked outside his home overnight.

Maha Khurram, a relative who was staying at the house when the attack happened, said the family - which has two children at nearby Singlegate Primary School - has never suffered racism before. She said: “It’s shocking for me to see this - their kids play with everyone else’s in the street.”

The phrase was sprayed in blue along the door panels and bonnet of the black Ford Galaxy, and paint was also sprayed on its windows, headlights and hubcaps. Miss Khurram said the attack had left the family “traumatised” and worried about leaving the house.

Acting Detective Inspector Chuks Gwam of Merton police said: “This kind of vandalism won’t be tolerated on our borough. We are supporting the victim, a hard working taxi driver, and his family as our local residents and will pursue all available leads to arrest those responsible for this crime.”

The Merton police Community Safety Unit is investigating the vandalism - anyone with information should call crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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