Protestors attacked at least 12 Uber cabs in Paris on Jan. 13, flattening their tires, shattering their windows and hurling eggs at them. No serious injuries were reported.
Many of the assailants are reportedly part of the city's traditional taxi industry, according to the French website Rude Baguette; they are fighting the progress of all taxi-hailing apps they feel will undermine their business.
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"That the taxis chose to use violence is unacceptable, that they chose to strike is their business," said Uber's director in France, Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty. "However, Parisians also have a choice when it comes to moving around in their cities, and today’s incident will certainly not tempt Parisians into choosing a taxi for their next ride."
The protest comes at an odd time. Taxi unions in France recently won a sizable legal battle over the upstart companies: A "15-minute law" that went into effect on Jan. 1 requires drivers for Uber and other cab-hailing apps to wait 15 minutes after a request is placed to pick up a passenger. This move is supposed to help the Paris taxi market compete.
At least one taxi app, Allocab, is fighting back with legislation of its own, arguing that the 15-minute law offers too great an edge to traditional cabs. Though the extent of this legal fight is unclear, it doesn't seem the battle will end anytime soon.
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Image: Joe Shlabotnik