Girl, 14, refused entry on Amsterdam bus over Moroccan appearance; police investigate
The Amsterdam police are investigating an incident in which a 14-year-old girl was refused entry on a GVB bus because she looks Moroccan. The girl's mother asked witnesses to come forward in a call posted on Facebook.
According to the girl's mother, Dounia Tapijt, her daughter and another girl were waiting for bus 38 in Amsterdam Noord, from Elzenhagen to Molenwijk, on November 21st. When they tried to get in, the bus driver told them that "they had to wait outside". Her daughter asked why and was told that he would rather "not have that kind of people on the bus". When the 14-year-old asked him what he meant, he said: "Moroccans". Another passenger spoke up for the girls, saying that she would get off if they were not allowed on. The bus driver relented and let them get on the bus, according to Tapijt.
Tapijt says she reported the incident to GVB and the discrimination hotline the next day, but that GVB is protecting the driver. "Finding him is very easy, because my daughter checked in. The manager does not want to call me and I can't get his phone number."
The GVB is aware of the story and is shocked, Het Parool reports. "Nobody is allowed to be refused on board our vehicles because of his appearance." The company says it spoke to four bus drivers who were on duty around the time of the incident, but that did not yield anything. According to GVB, the drivers don't match the description the girl gave of the involved driver.
GVB doesn't have camera footage of the incident. "Camera images are overwritten after about 24 hours. Unfortunately the report of this incident came in too late, so we could not lift the camera images", the company said according to the newspaper.
A spokesperson for the police confirmed to the Telegraaf that they submitted a request for information to GVB on January 3rd. "The investigation is ongoing."
