The Judiciary Police (PJ) are investigating a brawl among a group of taxi drivers which took place outside a resort hotel in Cotai on Wednesday, a PJ spokesperson said during a regular press conference Thursday.
On Wednesday, footage circulating online showing more than 10 taxi drivers brawling next to several black taxis in Avenida Cidade Nova went viral. In the video clips, some of the cabbies were attacking each other while others appeared to be merely watching the free-for-all.
The PJ spokesperson said that two male taxi drivers, both aged 25, went to a police station on Wednesday to report the incident. One of them said he was the victim while the other said he was a witness of the assault. The victim said that at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday he was driving his taxi to join the taxi rank queue outside the resort, according to the spokesperson. However, another taxi jumped the queue. The two cabbies leaped out of their vehicles and began arguing, which then became physical.
The Judiciary Police suspect that the “queue-jumping” cabbie later called other taxi drivers who were also in the waiting line at the rank, to help him. According to the spokesperson, at least five people were hitting the victim until the witness stepped in to stop the assault.
The spokesperson noted that the victim went to the public Conde de Sao Januario Hospital Centre for examination, where he was diagnosed with several injuries including to his head and arms.
The spokesperson said that the Judiciary Police were still investigating the case at the time of the press conference.
Meanwhile, the Judiciary Police said in a statement last night that they have arrested five local men involved in an assault case that took place earlier this week in Avenida Cidade Nova and that they would hold a press conference today about the case.
