Sam Kerr, renowned soccer player, and her partner Kristie Mewis found themselves in a harrowing situation when a taxi ride in London spiraled into chaos. The couple was driven to Twickenham Police Station after a dispute over clean-up costs stemming from an incident where one of them was sick in the vehicle. The situation escalated when one of them smashed the rear window of the car, claiming that the driver was holding them hostage.
Kerr and Mewis were reportedly terrified as the taxi driver continued to drive erratically for a prolonged 15 to 20 minutes. The couple attempted to open the car doors and windows repeatedly, but they remained locked, exacerbating their fear.
"Everything was going through my mind about being in a car with a stranger I deemed to be dangerous." – Kerr
The tension mounted when Kerr began to feel sick and put her head out of the window. In response, the driver rolled up the window and continued driving dangerously.
"There was no reasoning with him. It was his way or nothing." – Kerr
Throughout the ordeal, Kerr and Mewis pleaded with the driver to stop, but their requests fell on deaf ears.
"Kristie asked him to stop the car but there was no change to his driving." – Kerr
The situation took a dramatic turn when Mewis managed to kick out the rear window with her boot, providing a sense of relief for Kerr. However, they did not immediately escape as the vehicle was still in motion.
Kerr expressed her profound fear during the incident, stating that she was terrified for her life and viewed the driver as having complete control over their fate.
"Kristie was very distressed. She was crying and scared. I've never seen her like that before and it made me more scared." – Kerr
"I started to realise how serious the situation was. It put me in protective mode… he had the power over us." – Kerr
Once they reached the police station, Kerr accused the authorities of treating her differently due to her racial background. Kerr, who identifies as a white Anglo-Indian, stated that she had experienced racism both in Australia and the UK. She believed that her treatment by police was influenced by racial bias.
"This is a racial f****** thing," Kerr told police.
"Because of the colour of my skin," she added, expressing her belief that race played a role in the police's handling of the situation.
Kerr recounted seeing her father and brother treated differently because of their skin color, which added to her conviction that racial prejudice influenced the night's events.
Reflecting on her experience, Kerr described feeling vulnerable and powerless during the taxi ride.
"We were not in control… I deemed him to be dangerous because of the driving but also because he could have taken us anywhere. He couldn't be tracked so no one knew where we were." – Kerr
The emotional toll of the incident was compounded by her state of mind at the time.
"I had had a couple of drinks, mixed with tiredness, being in a scared and distressed state and (being) scared for my life 15 or 20 minutes before." – Kerr
Kerr's response to a mention of Sarah Everard, a woman tragically murdered by a police officer in London, underscored her distress.
"You're sick." – Kerr
Kerr articulated her frustration with what she perceived as the driver's obliviousness to his power and privilege during the encounter.
"It was clear to me that he had no idea about the power and privilege he had in that moment or in life… he's never had to think about what could happen to you as a female." – Kerr
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