tv Newsnight BBC News July 30, 2024 10:30pm-11:01pm BST
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what we have seen tonight in latest. what we have seen tonight in south ort latest. what we have seen tonight in southport is — latest. what we have seen tonight in southport is about _ latest. what we have seen tonight in southport is about two _ latest. what we have seen tonight in southport is about two hours - latest. what we have seen tonight in southport is about two hours or - southport is about two hours or more, of really quite serious but contain violence. there were a few hundred people that gathered outside the mosque here in southport, and the mosque here in southport, and the mood was quite angry, right from the mood was quite angry, right from the very beginning, and fairly soon it descended into stone throwing and then into rock—throwing and then quite large bits of rock being hurled at police officers hiding behind their riot shields and riot helmets, wheelie bins being thrown at officers, we saw one officer being led away with blood pouring from his nose, merseyside police later confirmed an officer had broken his nose, they have spoken about several other officers being injured, and we also saw a police vehicle being quite deliberately set alight, and also rocks being hurled into the site of the other police
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vehicles. merseyside police believe those responsible were supporters of the english defence league, certainly people here in southport do not think many of them were locals, they feel that many were people who had come in from outside, and tonight the home secretary has condemned the violence as appalling, a total disgrace, saying those responsible were thugs who have no respect for this programme continues on bbc one.
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in southport tonight, violent clashes involving what the police believe our supporters of the far right english defence league as the town mourns the young victims of yesterday's fatal knife attack. we'll be live in southport in the next few minutes. as israel hits a suburbin next few minutes. as israel hits a suburb in beirut tonight, the foreign secretary tells british people to get out of lebanon. how dangerous is this moment in the middle east? good evening and welcome to newsnight. tonight there have been protests in southport which turned violent. a police van was set alight, with riot police containing crowds
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hours after a vigil for those victims killed and injured in monday's knife attack. merseyside police have said in a statmeent that a large group of people — believed to be supporters of the far—right english defence league have thrown objects at a local mosque. merseyside police's assistant chief constable has said this: "it is sickening to see this happening within a community that has been devastated by the tragic loss of three young lives." today, police named the three young girls who have died — elsie stancombe was seven, alice augiar was nine and bebe king was six. let's go live to southport and speak to bbc news home affairs coorespondent daniel sandford. i wonder if you could explain to the audience how tonight unfolded. iretell. audience how tonight unfolded. well, the mood, audience how tonight unfolded. well, the mood. as — audience how tonight unfolded. well, the mood. as you _ audience how tonight unfolded. well, the mood, as you can _ audience how tonight unfolded. ii
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the mood, as you can imagine in southport has been extremely sombre for two days and today was no exception as it became clear the death toll had risen to three and there was a vigil at 6pm which many members of the town went along to think, calmly and quietly and reflect on the terrible violence that happened on monday morning. but there had always been this suggestion that there would be a protest at southport mosque at 8pm and that turned out to be the case. many from out of town appeared around the mosque at hpn and it was quite quickly quite an angry crowd. they tried to throw things at the mosque and at that point when the police became involved in trying to defend the mosque, those objects were thrown at the police. it started with wheelie bins and things like that. by about a quarter to nine, 9pm, it was very serious, large bits of rock being thrown at
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the police officers, quite deliberately being targeted at the police officers. we saw one officer being led away with blood pouring from his face. merseyside police later said someone had received a broken nose. we talked about several officers being injured and that wouldn't surprise me. i saw an officer limping heavily after a large block landed on theirfoot. at one point they were being knocked back by the sheer force of the rocks and wheelie bins being pushed against them. then a vehicle was satellite, a police vehicle, and thatis satellite, a police vehicle, and that is a very dramatic backdrop to the other violence —— the vehicle was set alight. there was the vehicle going up in smoke and the tyres popping as they burnt and still in front of that, the violence of the rocks being thrown and the police are trying to maintain some kind of protective cordon around the
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mosque and also around their vehicles. we've actually seen in the last five minutes a couple of fire tenders going around there. we thought that the disturbances had reduced quite a bit since 10pm but clearly fire tenders are still being required for something. i think largely the trouble is over but for a while it was serious, if quite contained. a while it was serious, if quite contained-— a while it was serious, if quite contained. ~ ., �*, , ., contained. what's your understanding of white supporters _ contained. what's your understanding of white supporters of _ contained. what's your understanding of white supporters of the _ contained. what's your understanding of white supporters of the english - of white supporters of the english defence league have turned up in southport to chuck things at the southport to chuck things at the southport mosque?— southport to chuck things at the southport mosque? well, what seems to have happened _ southport mosque? well, what seems to have happened this _ southport mosque? well, what seems to have happened this week, - southport mosque? well, what seems to have happened this week, there - to have happened this week, there has been some deliberate disinformation going on, on social media. there was an islamic sounding name that was being put around for much of the week as a potential suspect for the attack. we know the name of the suspect that has been
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arrested. we can't broadcast it because he is under 18 and that would breach the law is about reporting on under 185 involved in the criminaljustice system. but it is in the name that was going around, which was a muslim sounding name. there's been this suggestion all week on social media that this was some kind of islamist attack. merseyside police have made it clear they have seen no reason to call it a terrorist attack or terrorist motivation. although the northwest counterterrorist police are lurking in background, giving assistance in case something comes to light but it doesn't seem to be an islamist attack apart from on social media and that is being used to deliberately stoke anger. for some people there was a fixed call for a protest outside the mosque at 8pm.
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anyone who has paid attention to the detailed reporting in the mainstream media would have known, why was a mosque really relevant to this? there seems to be a deliberate element to it.— there seems to be a deliberate element to it. ., ~ , ., . element to it. thank you, daniel. we have a statement _ element to it. thank you, daniel. we have a statement from _ element to it. thank you, daniel. we have a statement from the _ element to it. thank you, daniel. we have a statement from the liverpool| have a statement from the liverpool region mosque network who say, the mosques and community... are horrified about the violence that happened in southport yesterday. this is an attack on society regardless of faith or background. a minority of people are trying to portray that this inhumane act is related to the muslim community. frankly it is not and we must not let those who spread hatred and divide us use this as an opportunity. " and a statement from the home secretary yvette cooper tonight, who visited southport today. she described the rioting as
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violent attacks from people on the street which she described as appalling. on the phone now ben roberts—haslam, a reporter at the liverpool echo who's near the scene of the clashes tonight. i know url too far away. i hope you are safe and you can talk to us 0k are safe and you can talk to us ok ——| are safe and you can talk to us 0k —— i know you not too far away. thanks, it is not safe, it is absolute chaos, in my opinion. this has descended into violence, thuggery. fires are being lit on star street, there's been fighting, there's been a lot of stuff happening here that quite frankly, as a southport resident, is unwelcome.— as a southport resident, is unwelcome. ., , ., ., unwelcome. how did it start, from what ou unwelcome. how did it start, from what you saw? _ unwelcome. how did it start, from what you saw? what _ unwelcome. how did it start, from what you saw? what did _ unwelcome. how did it start, from what you saw? what did you - unwelcome. how did it start, from what you saw? what did you see l unwelcome. how did it start, from i what you saw? what did you see and hear? what were people saying to you? hear? what were people saying to ou? ~ ., ., ,
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hear? what were people saying to ou? ~ ., ., you? when i got here it was about 7:50m. you? when i got here it was about 7:50pm there — you? when i got here it was about 7:50pm. there was _ you? when i got here it was about 7:50pm. there was a _ you? when i got here it was about 7:50pm. there was a large - you? when i got here it was about 7:50pm. there was a large groupl you? when i got here it was about. 7:50pm. there was a large group that kind of built up on a road which is three orfour minutes kind of built up on a road which is three or four minutes away from hart street. police barricaded the mosque on sussex road before violence erupted towards the police, who were trying to scramble and get on variety gear —— to get on their riot gear. people were trying to set as many fires as possible, there were plumes of smoke and the devastation is unspeakable. people who live here trying to put out fires on their road. one woman spoke to me who was physically shaking, almost in tears,
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her children sleeping in their beds upstairs. this has shaken the town to its core when it should be a day of mourning and grief. find to its core when it should be a day of mourning and grief.— to its core when it should be a day of mourning and grief. and the vigil earlier was so _ of mourning and grief. and the vigil earlier was so poignant _ of mourning and grief. and the vigil earlier was so poignant and - of mourning and grief. and the vigil earlier was so poignant and so - earlier was so poignant and so moving. people wanting to come together in southport to show solidarity for those little girls who have lost their lives, to show solidarity for their families, parents and siblings. i mean, this isjust disgusting. parents and siblings. i mean, this is just disgusting.— isjust disgusting. look, victoria, the vi . il isjust disgusting. look, victoria, the vigil was _ isjust disgusting. look, victoria, the vigil was moving _ isjust disgusting. look, victoria, the vigil was moving and - isjust disgusting. look, victoria, i the vigil was moving and emotional. the gravity of it, i was in awe of it. but as i stand here on the phone to you i am huddled away, watching people running past me wearing balaclavas, i have seen who i believe to be a fellowjournalist being chased down the street by these people. these are not
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southport... they don't represent the community who were there at the vigil earlier this evening.— vigil earlier this evening. yeah. and what do — vigil earlier this evening. yeah. and what do you _ vigil earlier this evening. yeah. and what do you think- vigil earlier this evening. yeah. and what do you think is - vigil earlier this evening. yeah. and what do you think is going | vigil earlier this evening. yeah. . and what do you think is going on, ben? i and what do you think is going on, ben? ~ and what do you think is going on, ben? .. , , and what do you think is going on, ben? ~' , , ., , ben? i think the best of my understanding, _ ben? i think the best of my understanding, from - ben? i think the best of my understanding, from what i ben? i think the best of my i understanding, from what the ben? i think the best of my - understanding, from what the home secretary yvette cooper said, these people have travelled into southport to cause violence and chaos, to cause misery on top of the misery that the town, the region and the country has already felt after monday lunchtime. you know, this isn't what the town is.— isn't what the town is. yeah. ben, thank you — isn't what the town is. yeah. ben, thank you so _ isn't what the town is. yeah. ben, thank you so much _ isn't what the town is. yeah. ben, thank you so much and _ isn't what the town is. yeah. ben, thank you so much and please - isn't what the town is. yeah. ben, | thank you so much and please take care. we appreciate you talking to us. thank you. care. we appreciate you talking to us- thank you-— let's talk live to sean haslam, a councillor from southport who grew up on hart street where the knife attack took place.
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he was with us last night. thanks for being with us tonight again. we weren't expecting to talk to you again so soon, sean. what's your reaction to what you've seen this evening? reaction to what you've seen this evenin: ? , .,, . reaction to what you've seen this evenin ? , ., ., ., ., reaction to what you've seen this evenin ? , . , ., ., ., ., reaction to what you've seen this evenin? , . , ., ., ., ., ., evening? devastating again. for a whole bunch _ evening? devastating again. for a whole bunch of _ evening? devastating again. for a whole bunch of different - evening? devastating again. for a whole bunch of different reasons. whole bunch of different reasons than last night. i said we've seen people descending on the town from outside with agendas of trying to stir up hatred, when the town should be left alone to grieve and mourn the tragic loss of those three young girls. this isjust nothing more than far right thugs trying to make something out of an absolute tragedy, to... their claims. this isn't southport, i grew up there, this isn't here. we saw the best people at the vigil, coming together and looking after each other and
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then just seen thugs descending on then just seen thugs descending on the town to cause havoc afterwards. and what's your message to those people who have turned up in southport?— people who have turned up in southort? . j ., _, southport? that they're not welcome, victoria. there's _ southport? that they're not welcome, victoria. there's no _ southport? that they're not welcome, victoria. there's no place _ southport? that they're not welcome, victoria. there's no place in _ southport? that they're not welcome, victoria. there's no place in this - victoria. there's no place in this town for that kind of vitriol and hatred. we are a united town and it's not acceptable. i’m hatred. we are a united town and it's not acceptable.— it's not acceptable. i'm 'ust going to -la a it's not acceptable. i'm 'ust going to play a cup * it's not acceptable. i'm 'ust going to play a clip from _ it's not acceptable. i'm 'ust going to play a clip from the h it's not acceptable. i'm just going to play a clip from the home - to play a clip from the home secretary yvette cooper. well, in south ort secretary yvette cooper. well, in southport this — secretary yvette cooper. well, in southport this morning _ secretary yvette cooper. well, in southport this morning i - secretary yvette cooper. well, in southport this morning i saw - secretary yvette cooper. well, in southport this morning i saw a i southport this morning i saw a community that was coming together, to grieve _ community that was coming together, to grieve together, to support each other_ to grieve together, to support each other and _ to grieve together, to support each other and also to thank the police for their— other and also to thank the police for their heroism yesterday in the face of— for their heroism yesterday in the face of the — for their heroism yesterday in the face of the horrific attack. there is an _ face of the horrific attack. there is an urgent, no investigation under way _ is an urgent, no investigation under way that's — is an urgent, no investigation under way. that's why it's so appalling to see those — way. that's why it's so appalling to see those same police facing violent attacks _ see those same police facing violent attacks from thugs on the streets who have — attacks from thugs on the streets who have no respect for a grieving community — who have no respect for a grieving community. it's a total disgrace. frankiy—
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community. it's a total disgrace. frankly this is a time when everyone should _ frankly this is a time when everyone should he _ frankly this is a time when everyone should be showing respect for a community and for the police. 30 community and for the police. so man community and for the police. for many people watching community and for the police. sr many people watching will agree with the home secretary's words, sean. i want to end our conversation by talking about seven—year—old elsie stancombe, six—year—old bebe king and nine—year—old alice aguiar. nine-year-old alice aguiar. my heart toes nine-year-old alice aguiar. my heart aoes out nine-year-old alice aguiar. my heart goes out to — nine-year-old alice aguiar. my heart goes out to their _ nine-year-old alice aguiar. my heart goes out to their families, _ nine-year-old alice aguiar. my heart goes out to their families, it - nine-year-old alice aguiar. my heart goes out to their families, it is - nine-year-old alice aguiar. my heart goes out to their families, it is a - goes out to their families, it is a time of mourning and grief. it absolutely isn't the time to descend into hate and anger and have more anger and hate in the community. it has to end there, people must grieve
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and move on. has to end there, people must grieve and move on— and move on. thanks for being with us, we appreciate _ and move on. thanks for being with us, we appreciate it. _ now, we're in a crucial and potentially even more dangerous moment in the middle east. and lyse doucet, the bbc�*s chief international correspondent and senior presenter, is with us. welcome. tonight the israeli military has hit the lebanese capital beirut targeting a his brother commander of the sea were responsible for the attack on children and teenagers at the weekend. the us is tonight once again urging against any kind of escalation. lebanon's foreign minister has condemned the strike and said his country will raise it at the un. hezbollah claimed this afternoon that it fired at israeli warplanes which were heard breaking the sound barrier over beirut. and here, the foreign secretary david lammy had this message for british people in lebanon.
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my my message to british nationals in lebanon is quite simple, leave. and so the question tonight is what will his brother do next? i and so the question tonight is what will his brother do next?— will his brother do next? i have to sa , 'ust will his brother do next? i have to say. just before — will his brother do next? i have to say, just before i _ will his brother do next? i have to say, just before ijoined _ will his brother do next? i have to say, just before ijoined you, - will his brother do next? i have to say, just before ijoined you, it i will his brother do next? i have to say, just before ijoined you, it is| say, just before ijoined you, it is a bit breathtaking because we are getting reports others may have been killed in beirut. there have also been air strike south of baghdad, we still don't have the full account of what happened, so we still don't know the full extent of this israeli strike. what we do know is that israel has said that they hit their target, it was a targeted intelligence operation and another example of israel making it clear, we know where you are and we can get you. he was the right—hand man of
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the hezbolah leader. he has been part of the organisation since the early 19805 when hezbolah was first established, along with the iran revolutionary guard. he is said to have been responsible for what was called the strategic unit which is the missile programme, a vast arsenal of missiles. he was also wanted by the united states as far back as 1983, 80 $5 million bounty on his head. he was said to have played a leading role in the attack on the marine barracks in beirut which killed hundreds including 240 americans. hezbolah have not confirmed it but the israelis have been saying this for some time and they say they got their person. harper they say they got their person. how recarious they say they got their person. how precarious is _ they say they got their person. how precarious is this _ they say they got their person. how precarious is this moment, because if this is the start of something bigger, then we are talking about all—out war in the region? this all-out war in the region? this
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shadow has — all-out war in the region? this shadow has hung _ all-out war in the region? this shadow has hung over - all—out war in the region? try 3 shadow has hung over the gaza war ever since hamas's murderous rampage across southern israel. they have said tonight he was responsible for hezbolah operations since then and blamed him personally for this attack on the occupied golan heights, which killed 12 young people in the golan heights. 50 an attack was expected, it was warned, but from lebanon we heard from lebanese politicians, don't attack southern beirut. don't attack beirut. choose your targets carefully. they have attacked southern beirut, the stronghold, so that has been condemned tonight. does that make it more likely? hezbolah will feel honour bound to respond because it was in southern beirut, does that make it even more explosive? we saw this earlier in the year and the same kind of phrase
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as tit—for—tat between iran and israel, unprecedented attacks, an unprecedented iranian attack on israel and i was there at the time. more than 300 cruise missiles, suicide drones, going into israel. then the big question, the same moment we are in now, what will the response be? at that moment what happened then was a very calculated response by israel which took the steam out of it. both sides could say they hit back and the tensions eased. we are at this moment again. this one, it is hard to measure but it is definitely dangerous, and you check on whatsapp as we all see, the parallel with the voices in capitals around the world including london saying to de—escalate and hezbolah right now must be deciding, what are we going to do? we right now must be deciding, what are we going to do?— we going to do? we will be back with ou we going to do? we will be back with you shortly. — we going to do? we will be back with you shortly. thank— we going to do? we will be back with you shortly, thank you. _ we will talk about british politics
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and the moment. will angela rayner�*s new mandatory housing targets for councils in england lead to the building of 1.5 million more homes over the next five years? we will not be deterred by those who seek to stand on the way of our country's future. the honourable members opposite may say this cannot be done. but i say that once again, i will prove them wrong. this government will build 1.5 million homes that are high—quality, well—designed and sustainable. we will achieve the biggest boost to affordable housing for regeneration, and we will get britain building to spur the growth that we need. let's speak to housing correspondent for the i paper vicky spratt. is this doable in the five years? that is the question everybody is asking. with all of the other reforms labour are announcing alongside this target of 1.5 million
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homes, we could be within spitting distance within five years, if not meeting it, and i think that's because what they are doing to the planning system can go where the previous government didn't go. they want to unlock planning, compare local councils to build on the green belt if they are not building enough homes. they are changing the way local housing the discount related and that's how we come up with the targets of some parts of the country will have to build lots more homes, the north—east and north—west, whereas london won't have to build as many. not everyone is happy about that but it certainly will also speak to rebalancing growth across the country. speak to rebalancing growth across the country-— speak to rebalancing growth across the count . ~ ., , ., ., the country. where are they going to be built because _ the country. where are they going to be built because there _ the country. where are they going to be built because there is _ the country. where are they going to be built because there is talk- the country. where are they going to be built because there is talk about i be built because there is talk about grey belt, what is that?— grey belt, what is that? that's a real aood grey belt, what is that? that's a real good question. _ grey belt, what is that? that's a real good question. it _ grey belt, what is that? that's a real good question. it is - grey belt, what is that? that's a real good question. it is going l grey belt, what is that? that's a| real good question. it is going to be bits of land in the green belt that are low value so they are reclassified for development. a misconception about the green belt, everyone is up in arms about the yimby debate. on the yimby side that
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means concreting over natural beauty but that is not what it means. there is lots of low value land in the green belt that may have been developed, car parks and garages. we are talking about building on those bits of land but what is going to be key as the planning and infrastructure bill and looking at how they are going to get the infrastructure for these pieces of land where maybe there is not the infrastructure for new housing and i am eagerly awaiting the announcement about new towns because that is going to be a huge part of meeting this target. in going to be a huge part of meeting this taruet. , ., this target. in terms of the targets. — this target. in terms of the targets, there _ this target. in terms of the targets, there is _ this target. in terms of the targets, there is so - this target. in terms of the targets, there is so much i this target. in terms of the - targets, there is so much pressure on london, so many people who cannot afford a house, yet the targets as you said have been reduced, and any place like fareham in hampshire, constituency mp suella braverman, with at the moment builds around is going to be ordered to build seven times the current target. taste going to be ordered to build seven times the current target.— going to be ordered to build seven times the current target. we have to look at how — times the current target. we have to look at how cities _ times the current target. we have to look at how cities work. _ times the current target. we have to look at how cities work. there - times the current target. we have to look at how cities work. there is - times the current target. we have to look at how cities work. there is a i look at how cities work. there is a bit of a misconception as there is demand in london because not
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everybody who works or socialises in london wants to live in london, they can live in the surrounding areas of the south—east. that will also be true of places like greater manchester. what housing in greater manchester. what housing in greater manchester we are notjust talking about loads of homes in the city centre, they need to be in the areas around it to also both of those communities. 50 the focus on the london housing target being reduced as a little bit misleading, although i am interested to know how they are planning to make housing affordable in london, because that is a massive problem and rents are still rising faster than inflation. itouting problem and rents are still rising faster than inflation.— problem and rents are still rising faster than inflation. who is going to -a for faster than inflation. who is going to pay for the _ faster than inflation. who is going to pay for the building _ faster than inflation. who is going to pay for the building of - faster than inflation. who is going to pay for the building of all - faster than inflation. who is going to pay for the building of all these homes? , ., to pay for the building of all these homes? , . , ., ., ., homes? great question and i would love to know _ homes? great question and i would love to know the _ homes? great question and i would love to know the answer. _ homes? great question and i would love to know the answer. do - homes? great question and i would love to know the answer. do you i homes? great question and i would| love to know the answer. do you not know? i love to know the answer. do you not know? i am — love to know the answer. do you not know? i am waiting _ love to know the answer. do you not know? i am waiting to _ love to know the answer. do you not know? i am waiting to find _ love to know the answer. do you not know? i am waiting to find out, i know? i am waiting to find out, particularly _ know? i am waiting to find out, particularly we _ know? i am waiting to find out, particularly we don't _ know? i am waiting to find out, particularly we don't know i know? i am waiting to find out, particularly we don't know how| know? i am waiting to find out, i particularly we don't know how many of the 1.5 million homes are going to be truly affordable social homes. angela rayner as we just heard heard said she wants a social housing revolution but how many are we actually building and how will it be
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funded? over the last few weeks i've been hearing from local councils who are really worried about how they are really worried about how they are going to keep paying for their existing housing stock for repairs, let alone build more, and they want to know how much funding there is going to be. what kind of rent settlement so that the rents they get coming and can help them build new homes and we don't yet know that. 50 new homes and we don't yet know that. ,, ., new homes and we don't yet know that, ., ., new homes and we don't yet know that. ., ., ., , ., ~ that. so we await the details, thank ou ve that. so we await the details, thank you very much- _ this is tori towey — she's 28, from ireland and until recently was a flight attendant for emirates. she lived in dubai with her new husband. outwardly her life seemed happy. but she says she was being physically and emotionally abused by her partner — allegations he's denied. ms towey attempted to take her own life and was promptly arrested. this is her first tv interview since those charges were withdrawn. she described what she says she was experiencing in her marriage..
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just a lot of control issues. obviously, in the beginning i didn't see anything like that. it was when we moved in together, um, i was cut off from my friends, my family. i wasn't allowed to be on my phone, so i was kind of cut off from the rest of the world. so then a lot of arguments, um, which led to physical abuse and just emotional and mental abuse. so it was... it was really, really tough. and it got so hard for you that actually you got to the point where you wanted to end it all. yeah, it... because ijust couldn't see a way out. nothing was getting better. it wasn't ending. so ijust at one point ijust thought, there is no way out. i can't leave, i can't, i can't do anything. i'm stuck. and after that you came
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round and you were, as i understand it, you were being given oxygen. yeah. and presumably you thought you would be taken for some medical attention at that point? yeah. no, i, i woke up and they had... they had given me oxygen and i was in my pyjamas. so they got one of my dresses and they told me to put it on. and then i was brought straight to the police station. from your home to the police station? directly to the police station. yeah. i was put in a room. the police were speaking amongst themselves in arabic, so i didn't understand anything that was going on. um, i wasn't told what i... why i was there or what i was being charged with. um, at this point, i didn't know that i was going to be charged with anything. and then i was just brought straight up to the jail cell that was in the police station. and there were other women in there? yeah, there was maybe
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about 50 women in there. 50? yeah. right. and so it's like a narrow corridor with individual cells beside the corridor. right. and it's just full of mattresses on the floor. and there are some girls sitting there and when i went in, i sat down, i began to speak with some of them, and some of them were there for seven months, ten months for very minor things. so at that point i thought i could be stuck there for months. and then you, you couldn't use the phone because it's broken and you needed money to use the phone, so i didn't know how i was going to contact anyone. so it was, it was really terrifying. and obviously you had no idea that there is a law in the uae that says, and i'm reading from it, "whoever attempts suicide shall be subject to the punishments of incarceration for no more than six months or a fine, and the court may order the detention
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of the convicted defendant in a healing facility in lieu of punishment." when did you realise that essentially what you had done was a crime? when they brought me to the police station because i instantly thought, why am i in a police station, out of everywhere? and then when they started to walk me down the hall and i read on the wall, it said detention centre, that's when i knew, oh, my god, i think, i think this must be a crime, because what else am i doing here? so, then, yeah, i was very stressed. what would you say your darkest moment was? mm. i think when i was brought to the police station, when i was strip searched because i was so emotional, so upset, so, like, lost. and then to be kind of,
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what felt violated in that way and then to be confused because i wasn't told anything. so itjust, my mental health was already really bad at this point. so itjust, that was my lowest point, i think. and you have said that you've spent time reflecting on the women who were still in that prison cell, who are still detained, those women that you met. yeah. i mean, one girl in particular, she's just 23. she has no family in dubai. she has no—one to bring her clothes or a toothbrush, because you're not provided with these things. what was she supposed to have done? she said there was like, i think there was a party where there was drugs at it. and they went in, they stormed in and theyjust took her. she doesn't know how long she's going to be there for. she hasn't been given a court hearing date. some girls, um, were there ten years. god. that i spoke to. they were from the philippines.
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