Special Episode: Inside the Belfast riots
6/10/202641 min
As Belfast burned on Tuesday night, Andy was there. In this special episode, he delivers a full eyewitness report from the riots: the violence, the racism, and the fury that erupted on the streets of Northern Ireland's capital.
Andy & Neil explain how a horrific knife attack by a Sudanese man on Monday night led to calls for protest within hours, and how those calls spiralled into widespread disorder. They discuss why immigration has become such a flashpoint in Northern Ireland, whether the Common Travel Area represents a genuine security gap, and what can be done to stop this unrest spreading, as it did in the Southport riots two years ago.
Later, they examine the role played by the likes of Tommy Robinson and Elon Musk in stoking division, and break down whether law enforcement has any real power to curb their influence. Neil also gives his personal response to the growing levels of racism on Britain's streets, and explains his fear that a 'race war' could be coming to the UK.
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsNeil Basu· Host0:00
[digital effects] This is a Global Player original podcast.
Andy Hughes· Host0:05
You could see plumes of smoke everywhere. It was one of the most extraordinary sights I've ever seen. This is absolute chaos. Vans, oh, God, this could turn ugly. This could turn ugly. They were all men and boys. They were dressed all in black. They were all wearing hoods, and they were all wearing balaclavas or masks. You could see smoke billowing out from one of the homes, and it was at that point where our security just pulled us and just said, "We need to get out of here now."
Neil Basu· Host0:31
Those people, uh, don't really care whether the person is Somali or Sudanese. It's an immigrant. It's a foreigner in their country. Burning your own community and the people who've helped you in that community for decades, this is pure racist, criminal evil, isn't it? A race war is pretty much what the extreme right wing want. [instrumental music] The Crime Agents.
Andy Hughes· Host0:52
Welcome to this special episode of The Crime Agents with me, crime journalist Andy Hughes, here in Belfast.
Neil Basu· Host0:58
And me, the ex-cop Neil Basu, and my God, Andy, are you okay? It's good to see you. [laughs] It's good to see you in one piece. I got a, a, a text and an incredibly dramatic photo from you last night at half past 10, so I knew you were still alive at half past 10, with burning vehicles in the background. Are you okay?
Andy Hughes· Host1:16
Yeah, I, I, I am. Uh, me and the team are all right. We had, um, local security with us, um, a guy who has lived all his life in Belfast, and that makes a huge difference. I mean, we are