Calls for Edinburgh taxi parade water pistol protester to be suspended

TAXI Outing organisers have called for a private hire driver to be suspended for lying in front of the procession after being skooshed with a water pistol.

The annual taxi outing is in aid of special needs children

Video of the driver halting the annual colourful parade for special needs children in Canongate on Tuesday went viral online.

Now event secretary Keith Bell has written to city licensing chief Cathy Fullerton to take action.

“Despite all the fun about t-shirts and mugs, the incident involving the male who blocked the path of the Outing is a serious one,” wrote Mr Bell.

“Unlike the video of the police officer being hit with water that went viral a couple of years ago with a fantastically positive image of Edinburgh, this video of a City of Edinburgh Council licensed PHC driver getting wet and his reaction to it will give a devastatingly negative image of our wonderful city.”

In his letter, Mr Bell argues the driver is no longer a “fit and proper person” to hold a licence after breaching conditions.

Mr Bell claims the driver’s actions contravene a condition to “behave in a professional, considerate and orderly manner” while his attire also breached clothing guidelines.

“Given the council's amazing support of the Outing for the last 72 years - I'd be extremely surprised and disappointed if the council stood by and did nothing,” wrote Mr Bell.

A council spokeswoman said: “All complaints made about individual licences are investigated but it wouldn’t be appropriate to comment on an individual case.”