Hong Kong taxi drivers stage anti-Uber protest

Hong Kong, March 15 (IANS) The streets near's Legislative Council building were on Thursday lined with red, green and blue vehicles as dozens of taxi drivers staged an anti-Uber protest.

A total of 42 taxis were lined up bumper to bumper on the streets for the protest that aimed to pressure the government to ban the ride-hailing Uber service, Efe news agency reported.

Some drivers sat in their cars while about 50 others joined a picket near the Council office where they hung up green and red banners demanding the government get rid of Uber, whose allegedly unlicensed vehicles threaten the livelihood of regular taxi drivers.

During their speeches some strikers said "Uber go back to America".

The protesting drivers expect the Transportation Department to reply to their demand by next week, and depending on the response the taxi unions might stage larger strikes.

Thursday's strike, which lasted from 8.30 a.m. until noon, had little effect on Hong Kong's transportation network because there are tens of thousands of taxis in the special administrative region.

Major cities around the world have witnessed anti-Uber protests by taxi drivers since the app and service were launched in 2009.

Taxi drivers complain that Uber presents unfair competition for tightly regulated traditional taxis.