On the most recent episode of BBC debate show Question Time, a woman called out a white man after he said the United Kingdom is “one of the least racist societies across Europe” the Daily Express reports.
A now-viral clip from shows Question Time guest George the Poet saying he’d faced racist incidents as a Black man living in the U.K., including being randomly stopped by the police because of the color of his skin.
A white man, who was a member of the audience, disagreed with George and insisted that the U.K. is the “least racist society in Europe.”
Another member of the audience, a woman wearing a hijab, fired back. “It’s funny that you’re a white man saying that,” she said. “It’s actually hilarious.”
''The UK is one of the least racist societies across Europe"
— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) October 4, 2018
"It's funny that you're a white man saying that! How are you going to experience it? You're a white man!" #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/NiFE6lUSoJ
The woman continued: “You’re a white man saying there’s no racism in this country! How are you going to experience it?”
People in the audience murmured, with some telling her that she is “racist” and to “calm down.”
She responded, “You’re not the one walking down the street and being screamed at. You’re not a young Black man walking across the street being stopped by police. Don’t tell me to calm down.”
On Twitter, people praised her.
Preach sister! He used all the usual tricks to shut her up. Including the ‘calm down’ tactic that tries to paint articulate passion as hysteria, especially when it’s a woman https://t.co/XdvdoOcuiN
— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) October 4, 2018
Where to even start?
— Natasha Henry (@NatashaSHenry) October 5, 2018
Don't bother to read the comments, it's just more people who've likely experienced no racism telling us we're wrong.
About "calm down" 😒 https://t.co/SMOgBdMgyd
https://twitter.com/kelechnekoff/status/1047980794889814017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1047980794889814017&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indy100.com%2Farticle%2Fquestion-time-racism-bbc-audience-member-racism-george-mpanga-8569796
I HATE when white people sudddenly become experts about racism and try to deminish the impact it has had, and is currently having on the black community. Don't dictate a converstaion that you've had no experience of. #bbcqt
— Marlon Kameka (@MarlonKameka) October 4, 2018
https://twitter.com/Stamatic_Soup/status/1049087538269495296
https://twitter.com/montc1air/status/1048534363112177665
https://twitter.com/GagaxAli/status/1048999413581008896
Some, however, said the white man should be able to express his views and accused the woman of racism.
https://twitter.com/thirtyfourpc/status/1047979843101630465
That's racist, she's saying he isn't entitled to an opinion coz he is a white man, Can you imagine the outrage if that comment was made the other way?
— Simon Bulgacs (@SPBASS1) October 4, 2018
As the Daily Express notes, the argument in the show came after Prime Minister Theresa May’s commitment to end free movement of European Union citizens in the U.K. with post-Brexit policy.
H/T Daily Express