Woman's racist tirade against Indian American family at LAX caught on camera

LOS ANGELES - A man is speaking out after he and his family were apparently the target of a woman's "racist" tirade at Los Angeles International Airport that has since gone viral on social media.

Pervez Taufiq, an Indian American wedding photographer, said the incident happened on Nov. 24 as he, his wife, and three kids flew into Los Angeles from Cancun. 

The confrontation happened with the woman, also a United Airlines passenger, on a transfer shuttle bus.

"Your family is from India, you have no respect, you have no rules, you think you can push everyone, push, push, push," the woman said. "That’s what you think you are. You guys are f–king crazy."

Taufiq said the woman, who sat next to his son on the plane, "harassed" him and asked him if he was Indian and continued spewing insults. He said the woman ordered his kids to "shut up," which further amplified the incident.

After Taufiq told the woman she should tell him again to have "more curry, right?," she replied she was going to pull out her phone "to record your f–king tandoori ass… your stinky a**," according to the video.

The woman accused Taufiq of being "racist" toward her after he recommended someone remove her from the bus for being "rude and racist."

"She doesn't care that I'm a racist, you're racist toward me. I'm American," she said.

When Taufiq responded he is also an American, the woman replied, "You're not American. Not originally, no, you're from India."

Taufiq claimed the woman was intoxicated during and after the flight.

"So we got on the bus and within seconds of being on the bus our sons are talking about the planes outside and one of them was a Spirit plane, and our little guy is 4-years-old and he loves planes. So he was like, oh, a Spirit plane. And she goes ‘shut up, just shut up’ to our 4-year-old and our 8-year-old who were talking. That snapped me into attention," Taufiq said. 

In the video, a United employee was seen talking to the woman on the bus before she is escorted out.

The woman, who did not give her name, issued the following statement to FOX 11 detailing her version of the incident:

"Yes, the guy edited out him telling calling me White trash and to f**k off. 

His kid was not sitting next to me. When checking in I was in line for first class and he nudged me outta the way and I responded to not push me or my son. Walking away I touched his carry on thinking it was mine when he started saying do not touch my bag? 

Flight was fine until he ran upfront to First Class to grab his bags from my overhead hitting my head! while plane was still taxing, against the stewardess requests. I said please listen she said to just sit down. and he said shut up woman. ANd I said you cant talk to me that way Im american and we have equal rights. the he said, 'You're white trash. Should never talk to a man that way'

I regret calling them Indian etc. That was out of line. I should have never responded but he had an in for me since preboarding."

According to Taufiq, the woman was placed on United's "no fly list."

In his Instagram post, Taufiq said he was grateful to those who stepped in.

"Blown away these types of people still exist," he said.

Taufiq's wife, Nicole, broke her silence in the comments, saying "there was ONLY ONE Good Samaritan who spoke up, but the rest of the bus was consumed by a chilling silence."

 "It wasn't just the act of racism that stung, it was the apathy of the crowd, the passive acceptance that felt like silent approval," she said.

"What many fail to understand is that silence is not neutral, it is a choice, one that inadvertently sides with the aggressor. Every silent spectator becomes complicit in the harm being done," she added.

"It's a reminder of how crucial it is to speak up, to act, and to stand against hate, no matter how uncomfortable it may feel in the moment."

FOX 11 reached out to United Airlines and was told there was no "additional information to share."