BBC reporter suffers racist abuse in Leicester street

BBC reporter Sima Kotecha was preparing a live broadcast with guests when they were racially abused

A scheduled live TV broadcast had to be abandoned when a BBC reporter was racially abused in the street.

Sima Kotecha was due to interview people in Leicester city centre on Sunday night following the Prime Minister's statement on updated lockdown guidance.

The broadcast was cancelled when she, her crew and the guests "were subjected to racist and abusive behaviour".

The BBC said it had reported the abuse to police, who are investigating.

Priya Jacob, a junior doctor who has recovered from coronavirus, was one of those due to be interviewed live on BBC One to discuss the current situation.

She told BBC Radio Leicester as preparations for the broadcast were being finished a group of people began swearing and being "really abusive" at them.

"We felt really bad because they just kept calling [us] names... they just started swearing at the entire crew, which was not very pleasant, so we had to leave," she said.

"These guys would just not let it happen - they were yelling stuff.

"We were due to go on live, but we couldn't be doing such a live programme when these guys were at the background."

Ms Kotecha said she was "furious" adding it was a "sad obstruction of reporting of a national crisis".

"We are appalled by what happened and will be reporting the incident to the police. We will not tolerate racism or abuse of our staff," a BBC spokesperson said.

Leicestershire Police confirmed it was investigating, adding: "Racist abuse will not be tolerated under any circumstances."

• A SIMPLE GUIDE: How do I protect myself?

• IMPACT: What the virus does to the body

• RECOVERY: How long does it take?

• LOCKDOWN: How can we lift restrictions?

• ENDGAME: How do we get out of this mess?

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