Auckland Indian man faces abusive phone calls after video of emptying rubbish from car goes viral: ‘I’ve apologized’

An Indian-origin man in Auckland says he has complained to police and sought help from cyber security after a video purportedly of him dumping cardboard went viral, sparking abusive messages and public backlash.The man, who remains anonymous, said the incident made him feel unsafe after the video was shared on social media. He also claimed that the person filming the confrontation damaged his vehicle and broke a wing mirror during the incident.“I have apologized to the police and I have also told them that I am ready to pay the fine, if any, and apologize to the person who made our video,” the man told The Weekend India.Police have confirmed they have received a complaint in relation to the incident in Alfriston, Auckland, on April 4, The Weekend India reports. A spokesman said: “Police can confirm they have received reports of an incident in Alfriston earlier this month.”The man said he and a friend were trying to get rid of three large pieces of cardboard before planning an event at their home. He claimed they inspected recycling facilities at Manurewa and Papakura but found they were closed for a public holiday.Upon their return, they attempted to leave the cardboard on the grass, thinking it would decompose over time, and then encountered a passing driver.“Within 15 seconds, a car pulled up in front of us and a man got out with a cell phone camera and started recording and insulting,” the man said.The confrontation in the video becomes tense, with the person recording yelling “Don’t litter our country.” The footage also captured documentation of the abuse.The video begins with the tape recorder saying: “Fuck you,” and shows the man apologizing and placing the cardboard back in the car after being confronted. In response, the recorder continued, “Don’t be sorry. Don’t come littering our country.”The video quickly went viral, attracting thousands of reactions and comments. The man said he also sought help from Netsafe to remove the video from social media. However, he claimed that the organization’s capabilities were limited.“Netsafe told me they couldn’t remove all the videos because the video didn’t violate community standards,” the man said.“The video also went viral in India. Netsafe could only remove some of the videos,” he added.He said the video’s online spread was driven by pages seeking engagement and views, and said he regretted the incident.“I want people to know that if you do something wrong, accept it immediately and apologize,” he said.