“This is an open society and Uber is a platform that is available to anybody regardless of your background, your orientation, and that is sacred to us.”

The Uber driver who kicked out a lesbian couple for kissing has been sacked and had his license suspended.

Ahmad El Boutari told Alex Iovine and Emma Pichl – who have been together for two years – that kissing in an Uber was illegal, and insisted: “I don’t want to argue with you, just get out of my car. You can’t do this in the car.”

The encounter was recorded and posted on Facebook. In the video, one of the women questioned El Boutari on his false statement, telling him that kissing in an Uber is not illegal, to which he hit back: “It’s disrespectful”.

In an interview with WABC, Iovine said El Boutari’s reaction “went from shock to anger”, and said they’ve never “been targeted with such prejudicial behaviour”.

Pichl added: “I think for both of us it was just a shock, not really knowing what to say.”

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi slammed El Boutari, saying: “I think they don’t belong driving, period.

“This is an open society and Uber is a platform that is available to anybody regardless of your background, your orientation, and that is sacred to us. It’s an unfortunate circumstance and we will do everything we can for that not to repeat.”

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