One of three Uber drivers assaulted by an angry mob of men in Brisbane on the long weekend claims his attackers "were praised" by taxi drivers at a cab rank near where the violence unfolded.

The driver, who wants to remain anonymous, was ambushed in Fortitude Valley in the early hours of Monday morning while waiting to collect a passenger.

He told 7.30 at least half a dozen men, speaking Punjabi, surrounded his car, punched him in the face, ripped off a side mirror and stole his phone.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 6 minutes 41 seconds 6 m Uber and taxi conflict gets violently physical ( David Lewis )

"I heard them saying, 'you are ruining our industry and we are suffering because of Uber'," he said.

Not long after the attack, the driver spotted the men at a nearby taxi rank and took photographs, which he has provided to police.

"All the taxi drivers seemed to be happy and were praising this heinous act," he said.

"I couldn't believe this could happen."

The men have not been found but police have a list of suspects and 7.30 understands at least one of them has links to the taxi industry.

Investigators believe the same group is responsible for two other assaults on Uber drivers that occurred that same morning.

Speaking for the first time about his assault, Pramil Patel said he became nervous when he spotted the men and lied about working for Uber.

"And then one of them stole my mobile," he said.

"He checked the mobile and said, 'you're an Uber driver', and punched me in the face."

Like the first attack, Mr Patel said the group broke off a side mirror and stole his phone while shouting, "You are f***ing Uber. You are f***ing illegal."

The third and final attack was by far the most violent.

Pramil Patel says a group of men broke a side mirror off his car and stole his phone. ( ABC: David Lewis )

Alex Ihaia, 49, was ambushed by two groups of men in Kangaroo Point about 3:00am.

When he tried to escape, he was struck over the head with a blunt object.

"There was a lot of blood. I was trying to get the blood out of my eyes so I could try to get my thoughts together and focus on where all these guys were," he said.

His car was so badly damaged it had to be towed away and examined by police forensics.

"They totally smashed my car up, ripped my driver's side door around onto the bonnet, smashed my windows, and booted my car in," he said.

Do you know more about this story? Email 7.30syd@your.abc.net.au

Alex Ihaia's smashed car window after the attack. ( ABC: Nick Castellaro )

Licensed taxi drivers across Australia are furious at the expansion of Uber's unregulated discount service Uber X.

They have responded with strikes and protests, but this string of assaults appear to be the first time opponents of ride-sharing have resorted to violence.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Benjamin Wash from Taxi Council Queensland condemned the attacks.

"Taxi drivers have been in the past victims of physical assault. It's unpleasant. We don't condone it," he said.

What is Uber? An app-based service connecting customers with drivers who use their own cars to provide transportation.

An app-based service connecting customers with drivers who use their own cars to provide transportation. Available in 60 countries and established in 2009.

Available in 60 countries and established in 2009. Uses GPS to find a customer's location and connect them to the nearest driver.

Uses GPS to find a customer's location and connect them to the nearest driver. Customers pay using the app and no cash is handled in the vehicle.

Customers pay using the app and no cash is handled in the vehicle. The price is charged per minute or per kilometre plus a base fee, and can change depending on demand.

The price is charged per minute or per kilometre plus a base fee, and can change depending on demand. Drivers must pass a background check, have insurance and have a registered car.

Drivers must pass a background check, have insurance and have a registered car. Offers a range of service levels - the two most common are UberX and UberBlack.

Offers a range of service levels - the two most common are UberX and UberBlack. UberX is the budget option, which connects registered drivers who use their own, everyday cars to provide lifts for customers. Generally cheaper than a taxi.

UberX is the budget option, which connects registered drivers who use their own, everyday cars to provide lifts for customers. Generally cheaper than a taxi. UberBlack is a more expensive luxury version of UberX, in which customers are picked up in a "high-end" black sedan, by a professional chauffeur with a commercial licence and commercial auto insurance.

UberBlack is a more expensive luxury version of UberX, in which customers are picked up in a "high-end" black sedan, by a professional chauffeur with a commercial licence and commercial auto insurance. Other services include Uber SUV, Uber Lux and Uber Taxi, however these are not available everywhere.

"We think the perpetrators need to be arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law."

However, Mr Wash said there was not enough evidence to support the victims' claims taxi drivers were involved.

"The Queensland taxi industry has never engaged in any kind of unlawful activity, unlike Uber, who is operating completely unlawfully," he said.

Monica Bradley, a corporate strategist specialising in the digital economy, said the ugly turf war was regrettable and governments must regulate new entrants to the market.

"This is about disruption. The world is changing. Customers have more choice and we're opting with our feet to use a service that comes to us," she said.

This month the ACT became the first jurisdiction to regulate Uber's entry into the market, but elsewhere state governments are cracking down on the company.

The Queensland Government is reviewing transport regulations, but on Wednesday announced that process will not be complete until late next year, a decision that could prolong tensions between taxis and Uber.

The victims of this week's assaults have vowed to return to their jobs after a short break, despite fearing they could be targeted again.

"Something like this ain't going to stop me," Mr Ihaia said.

"In fact, it makes me more eager to get out there and do my job."