Black caller's memorable response when James O'Brien asked about statues of slavers
10 June 2020, 13:00
This caller's powerful response to whether statues featuring slavers should be removed left James O'Brien lost for words.
James was talking about Sarah Vine's Daily Mail article in which she said that the rewriting of Britain's history left her worried about the country's future.
He asked Simone for her thoughts on it. Simone's response will stay long in the memory.
"Sarah Vine is frightened today. We're frightened every single day of our lives.
"Every time our black boys leave our sight, we are frightened 'will they come back home?'
"The police brutality doesn't just happen in the United States. It happens right here on our own shores.
"I'm a property owner. I was arrested because my white tenant called the police because I changed my own locks. The police automatically assumed that I was the tenant and she was the landlord. It's systematic.
"Welcome to our world, Sarah Vine. Welcome to our world.
"I have to explain to my nine-year-old son not to wear a tracksuit as his go-to attire because, fast-forward 10 years time, he will not be deemed in the same way as his peers. You will be stopped. You will be searched and he will always have to look over his shoulder.
"Let's change the conversation. Let's rewrite history right here in Britain because we're here to stay. We will make a different story for the next generation."
James could only respond: "If anybody can, it's you. Thank you so much for that."
Hear her powerful response at the top of the page.
