A group of men was photographed after drivers were allegedly assaulted in the Valley. The 30-year-old was attacked in his car in Wickham Street, while a 49-year-old Uber driver was treated by paramedics after being bashed in Kangaroo Point. A third man who does not work for Uber was also attacked as he waited in his car in Wickham Street, in what is believed to have been a case of mistaken identity. The first victim said a woman had requested a fare at the Wickham Hotel in Fortitude Valley and he had not long been waiting outside for her when he was approached by a member of the group, waiting nearby. The woman who ordered the ride is not believed to have any connection to the men.

The Uber driver parked in a nearby side street, where he saw the group again and watched as they got into a taxi and drove away. "The first thing he said was, 'You're Uber, right? You're Uber?' I was there to pick up a female passenger, I said, 'Yes, I'm an Uber driver but I'm not here for you,' but confirmation I was an Uber driver started this whole rampage. "I opened the door, he got in and started punching everywhere, he was extremely abusive. "He was saying, 'F--- Uber, you guys are shit, you're taking the business away from us'. "I was terrified, absolutely terrified. In my 30 years I have never experienced anything like this, especially in a peaceful city like Brisbane."

The anonymous driver said the man threw "a few punches" at him but that he managed to only hit him once in the head and once in the shoulder. The attacker also grabbed the driver's phone and threw it away, the victim said. A passerby later found across the road, with its screen smashed. The driver said when the man got out of his car, he and at least one other member of the group started kicking at the car, and later returned, when they smashed his side mirror. "I thought, 'This is it', the worst thing was that he took away my phone, so I lost the hope I could get any help," he said.

He sought help from a nearby hotel security guard and later called police, when the passerby found his phone and returned it to him. He drove to a nearby side street, where he saw the group again and watched as they got into a taxi and drove away, managing to take photos of them through his windscreen. In the wake of the attacks on Monday, a spokesman for Uber expressed concern that the taxi lobby's sustained "scare campaign" about ride-sharing applications was starting to manifest itself in physical violence against drivers. The Taxi Council of Queensland declined to comment. The two industries have been engaged in a highly publicised war in Brisbane since Uber began operating here in 2014, with the taxi lobby attacking its illegality, and its safety, insisting ride-sharing, unlike taxis, are no safer than hitch-hiking.

The driver who was attacked said he started driving for the company three months ago, after being made redundant. He said while it was the first time he had experienced physical violence, it was not the first time he had been targeted. Previously, he said, a taxi driver had tried to take photographs of him to report him. "I've had verbal aggression from some taxi drivers and in South Bank about six or seven weeks ago I was there to pick someone up but I try not to go into their territory," he said. "I picked a passenger up, this lovely girl got into my car and a taxi driver comes out, approaches me, takes out his phone and takes a photo of my car and tried to take shots of my face."

The driver also said despite the frightening nature of Monday morning's attack, it would not deter him from continuing to drive for the US-based company. "I'm definitely threatened ... I almost thought that I would never drive again but I thought that was just backing away," he said. "If I do that, we are fulfilling the purpose, so I don't think I will stop." Anyone who can help identify the offenders are asked to contact CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestoppers.com.au Stay informed. Like the Brisbane Times on Facebook.