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A GB News presenter has denied the violent scenes in Belfast over recent days– which have seen masked men burning down the homes of migrants and ethnic minority people and terrorising their inhabitants – have been ‘riots’, insisting that “there was not a house that has been burnt down”.
Presenter Bev Turner made the claims around 2:30am on 10th June, the second night of racist rioting in Northern Ireland.
Turner claimed in a heated exchange with commentator Matthew Stadlen, that: “There weren’t people marauding through the streets with pitchforks”, “there aren’t bodies being piled up in hospitals”, “there was not a house that has been burnt down”, “when you use phrases like far right and riots, that is not what that is”, “there aren’t people in hospital”, and “there’s a few teenagers who have set alight vehicles”.
She added: “Don’t try to whip up the public into thinking there is civil war on the streets tonight.”
Commenting on the remarks, Richard Wilson, founder of Stop Funding Hate, told Byline Times: “GB News spent two days actively downplaying race riots that left families burned out of their homes. While houses were on fire in Belfast, a presenter told viewers there was ‘not a house that has been burnt down.’ That was completely untrue. Twenty-seven people were made homeless overnight. The First Minister of Northern Ireland condemned masked men burning families out of their homes.
“This is what GB News does. Just like with Southport in 2024, presenters and guests lined up to reframe racist mob violence as the understandable frustration of ordinary people let down by politicians. That misinformation has consequences. When a news channel with a broadcast licence tells its audience that riots are not really riots, it makes the next ones more likely.”
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Bev Turner’s Show, Early Hours of 10th June
Turner began her show by making clear: “Belfast is burning.”
“Belfast is burning tonight. Furious protesters have torched a bus and set fire to bins following outrage over that brutal knife attack that happened last night.”
However, Simon Heninson of US-founded think tank the Heritage Foundation described the scenes as: “Largely calm, I have to say. This appears – these flames that we’re seeing, these fires that have been set alight – haven’t been fortunately accompanied by lots of violence on the streets, which is testimony actually to the patience of the British people.”
Bev Turner went on to claim the rioters ‘wouldn’t even know the definition of far right’, suggesting that means they cannot be far right.
“I would absolutely argue that some of the total scallies that have set fire to cars and buses wouldn’t even know the definition of far right and probably wouldn’t even define themselves as particularly political.”
“Setting a wheelie bin on fire is not being far right. It’s being an idiot.”
Don’t miss a story
The Exchange with Matthew Stadlen – Full Sequence
While saying she doesn’t deny those taking part in the unrest were “deluded and hate-filled,” Turner went on to downplay the events.
Turner: “These skirmishes that we’ve seen in Belfast tonight – because they weren’t, they weren’t riots, they weren’t riots. There weren’t people marauding through the streets with pitchforks.”
Stadlen: “There was a house set on fire, Beverly. There was a house set on fire. We’ve seen numerous pictures of fires ablaze in Belfast. This is disgraceful, violent behaviour.”
Turner: “Exactly. You are saying people’s houses are burned down. I’m saying actually it isn’t that dramatic. There aren’t people – there aren’t bodies piled up in hospitals.”
Stadlen: “Someone’s house being burnt down in a riot is not that dramatic? What are you saying, Bev? What words are you allowing out of your mouth?”
Turner: “There was no riot. There was no riot. There is not a house that has been burnt down. There are no riots. The police aren’t even–”
Stadlen: “Did you not see the image of a house on fire in Belfast?”
Turner: “Yes, but – I’ve seen – that’s not that dramatic.”
Stadlen: “It’s pretty dramatic to me by definition.”
Turner: “That is – when you use phrases like far right and riots, that is not what that is…”
“I’m not calling it a riot because there aren’t people in hospital tonight because of what’s gone on there. There aren’t people in hospital. And I think you are precisely the problem – in that you are the problem, not people setting fire to their own thing. You are exaggerating. You have the temerity to call me the problem when I’m calling out violence on my show.”
Turner added to Stadlen: “There’s a few teenagers who have set alight vehicles and it has been a busy night for the police. And I am not diminishing the reaction. But don’t try to whip up the British public into thinking that there is civil war on the streets tonight.”
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Her own reporter on the ground, Charlie Peters, earlier in the same programme, had described “houses being evacuated after they had been set on fire” and “families putting all of their possessions into cars before rushing and driving off” – with Turner herself in the anchor chair receiving that report from Belfast.
The PSNI and the government had already confirmed two officers injured, dozens homeless, and a two-month-old baby evacuated.
A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive said on Thursday afternoon (11th June): “Since the beginning of the recent civil unrest, 29 households who presented to us in need of housing support have been assisted.
“We are also aware others may have sought assistance from other agencies, including housing associations, faith groups and organisations in the third sector.
“Our assessment of damage to our housing stock across Belfast is ongoing. We’ll continue to work with partner organisations to provide assistance to any households requiring temporary accommodation and support.”
You can view Bev Turner’s remarks here or directly via GB News.
On the second night of rioting, after Turner’s broadcast, twelve police officers were injured and 16 arrests were made according to the BBC.
GB News was contacted for comment.
Tommy Robinson, Nigel Farage and the ‘Pure Cold Rage’ Used to Trigger a Racist Pogrom in Belfast
Mainstream politicians have stood by as the global far-right campaigns for anti-migrant violence on our streets. Now we’re suffering the consequences, argues Adam Bienkov
Other GB News Coverage
9th June 2026
Martin Daubney – GB News presenter
“Belfast was inevitable. Why is Westminster so surprised? And why is their reaction always to jail people rather than taking some responsibility for a disaster that’s of their own making?” – [23:39]
“We do have a situation where the working-class communities of Belfast feel completely abandoned and distraught.” – [19:33], immediately followed by Jim Allister (of the ultra-loyalist TUV): “Yes, they are overloaded with immigrants in many cases and an incident such as this triggers a response, which I understand.”
Another exchange by Daubney, with Hermann Kelly, president of the Irish Freedom Party [26:00], sees the presenter say: “You and I again have been speaking for years about the feeling that this was a disaster waiting to happen.”
Kelly: “Yeah. Look, if Ireland is continued [sic] to be used as a dumping ground, it will turn into a powder keg.”
Daubney: “Things like this were a disaster waiting to happen because there was no control over that border.”
Doogie Beattie – GB News reporter, Belfast
“The taxpayer will ultimately have to pay for it. But what’s coming out here is real frustration, real anger. The politicians are not listening to them. And last night was quite literally the touchpaper that was lit.” – [17:13]
Nana Akua – GB News presenter
“Our political leaders have to take responsibility for the fact that they have pushed a lot of normal people to the brink.” – [1:13:55]
Kelvin MacKenzie – GB News contributor
“I’m not in favour of any violence coming out of that, but we have got to take to the streets.” – [34:44]
On 10th June, GB News presenter Andrew Pierce told viewers: “It’s been a tinderbox in Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland, this immigration situation.” – [3:28]
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