One of the most influential billionaires in the United States stood up for Miss Slovakia. She was thrown out of a taxi because of her Jewish roots

Social networks were shaken by the case of former Miss Slovakia finalist Miriam Mattová. In Toronto, Canada, she decided to use a well-known taxi service to get home safely, but she had no idea that the driver would throw her out of the car because of her religion.

A taxi driver of a popular company that also operates in Slovakia threw her out of the car because she was Jewish. Exclusively for Startitup, she described how the whole incident took place and how she reacted to the taxi driver’s words.

“I don’t drive Jews,” said the taxi driver

Miriam was on the phone and talking to a friend about Israel in a private conversation. At that moment, the driver braked sharply and said: “I don’t drive Jews.” According to her, the taxi company apologized to her in writing and returned her money, but it was not immediately. Miriam said that she is dealing with the whole matter with a lawyer who plans to take legal action against the company if the situation is not remedied.

The editors of Startitup asked the taxi company for a statement, we are waiting for their response. However, according to the former Miss Slovakia, this is unprofessional behavior. She got into a taxi ordered by a friend on Dundas Street. She was headed home. Over the call, she talked to her boyfriend about her recent trip to Israel.

“My conversation had nothing to do with the driver, and no matter the topic, a private call should remain private. In the middle of the intersection, the driver suddenly braked and told me to get out. I ended the call, asked for an explanation and was told that she didn’t feel comfortable giving me a ride. So I asked again: Why? And he replied that he didn’t drive Jews,” Matt recalls.

One of the most influential wealthy people in the United States, Bill Ackman, also reacted to the incident. On social media X, he commented as follows: “I am sure that the taxi company will deal with this incident in an appropriate way.”

According to her, it was not only a startling incident, but it reminded her that prejudice does not always appear in newspaper headlines: “Sometimes it manifests itself inconspicuously, in everyday situations in which we should feel safe.”

She received no response for several days

The moment the driver told her these words, she decided to get out – but not out of fear. “When someone openly shows discrimination, there is no reason to stay in their presence,” she said. She called another taxi from the same company, completed her journey, and the next morning filed a detailed complaint through the app.

She received no response for several days. The company finally responded only when they were contacted by another media outlet with a request for comment on the incident. “Discrimination must be addressed by responsibility, not silence. And when such a large company doesn’t respond, it sends the wrong signal,” says Matt.

According to her, a serious hate-related incident should provoke an immediate response within 24 hours, and if this does not happen, prejudice will go unnoticed.

“I want to make it clear that what happened is much more than an unpleasant journey home or a refund. The incident I experienced was a direct manifestation of anti-Semitism, and the reason I’m talking about it is because such moments need to be openly confronted.”

“They remind me of my grandmother’s pre-war stories – stories of people who overlooked ‘small’ hate speech until it evolved into something much worse. Silence is a way for prejudice to grow, and we can’t allow it to happen again,” the model said.

The company has not confirmed whether the driver still works for them

What worries Miriam the most is the fact that the company has not confirmed whether the driver still works for them. They invoked the right to privacy. “No one asked for the driver’s name or personal information, so privacy is not an issue. The real question is whether the taxi company is willing to take a clear stance against discrimination in its own vehicles,” Matt said.

According to her, it is therefore a message to the public. According to her, such a large company should shape the standards of safety and respect in society. Their action – or inaction – completes this picture.

Although the money was returned to her, as she claims, there is no amount that can meaningfully reflect the weight of her experience. The moment the driver told her that he would not give her a ride because she was Jewish, she felt a mixture of shock and caution.

However, she was aware of her situation – alone in a car in the middle of the night with a driver, a stranger, who openly showed discrimination against her.

“My priority was clear – to protect my safety. I ended the call, trying to stay calm and focused on getting out of the vehicle as quickly and cleanly as possible. My decision was not motivated by fear, but by the understanding that when someone expresses hatred so openly, the safest reaction is to leave their vicinity,” he says.

She only fully realized the situation that took place when she got out of the car. So she took further steps towards reporting the incident, she wanted to ensure that this driver disappeared from the streets and in the interest of the safety of other people. He does not think that the company’s response to this incident was sufficient.

What to do in such a situation

“Any responsible company would immediately fire a driver who refuses to provide a service to someone because he is Jewish, and would not hesitate to let it be known. This level of transparency and accountability is the bare minimum needed to maintain public trust,” Matt added.

According to Matt, anti-Semitism is not something that belongs on the rating scale – it has no place in society. “Especially after the lessons that humanity should have learned from World War II, there is no excuse or gray area when it comes to discriminating against the Jewish people. What happened was an act of hatred,” she added.

She has already encountered similar incidents in the past. They were also the reason why she decided to talk about it this time. In the past, the companies concerned reacted quickly, professionally and decisively, which cannot be said in this case.