Heartbreaking Call From "Scared" German Woman
28 June 2016, 11:24 | Updated: 5 October 2016, 16:02
Tuesday 28th June 2016
Karen moved to Britain from Germany in the 1970s but since Thursday's vote, she's become terrified as she faced a series of xenophobic attacks.
James was joined in studio by Simon Woolley from Operation Black Vote as they discussed the reported rise in race hate crimes since the Brexit vote.
WATCH: James Attacks The Sun's Rhetoric Over Brexit
A heartbreaking call from Karen stopped both men in their tracks as you can see above.
She was in tears from her opening line as she admitted: "I'm so scared now."
Utterly shocked at the poor German lady calling @mrjamesob @LBC this morning. Time for a bit more leadership from a few politicians
— Tony Carroll (@tonycarroll) June 28, 2016
From having dog excrement thrown at her door to friends telling her they don't want to see her again, Karen gave a harrowing account of how she now feels unwelcome in the country where she made her home.
"I haven't been out of the house for three days," she sobbed. "My neighbours told me they don't want me living in this road.
"My friend's grandson got beaten up because he had a foreign grandmother.
"I'm so scared, I don't know what's going to happen next."
@LBC Karen could have been my own German grandmother, who lived here most of her life. Very upsetting to hear. What is wrong with people?
— Simon Grierson (@sibod) June 28, 2016
James tried to reassure her: "You're going to be alright Karen. When people hear stories like yours, they will realise that they have to stand up and be counted."
Simon joined in too, in a bid to put Karen at ease, telling her that her stories broke his heart.
"50 years we've fought for race equality and you have on your programme in 2016, a good woman desperate, in tears because she fears for going out her front door for no other reason than being German."
@LBC can't believe I'm in tears.listening to james obrien. So sorry for the German woman
— VALUE ADDED PARENT (@_THEVAP) June 28, 2016
James then tried to leave Karen with some words to give her strength:
"We're talking about approximately 10-15% of the population. Because they're right in your face, it feels like there are loads more of them than there actually are.
"You might be physically alone, but you are not on your own spiritually, emotionally or politically.
"The huge majority of people in this country, however they voted on Thursday, are with you.
"They are your compatriots and they are your true neighbours."
You can hear the full call here:
