GB News presenter Ben Leo was subjected to a furious tirade – yet he held his ground (Image: FB)
The terrifying moment GB News presenter Ben Leo was confronted by enraged pro-migrant activists outside an ICE detention centre in New Jersey, USA, has horrified viewers and social media users across the planet.
The shocking clip, which has gone viral online since it was broadcast by the channel on Sunday night, has earned the presenter praise for his ice-cool response after being told to “go home to Britain” when a group of men surrounded him after he posed a question on whether migrants from certain countries have a higher propensity for committing sexual offences than British nationals.
Immediately following the question, one man rounded on Leo, squared up to him and aggressively accused him of being linked to a British Empire “which had raped and pillaged the world”. After Leo failed to rise to the man’s bait, he was told he was “full of s***” and challenged to “do something about it, Brit.” He was then called “a piece of s***” and a “liar”.
He asked Leo “how the Brits got their f***ing power” and, when the presenter replied by asking the man why he was so angry, the man shouted: “Because my adrenaline is going – I’m holding everything back not to break your f***ing jaw.”
When asked if he had come to the protest to commit violence, the man repeatedly bellowed: “Yes! Yes!”
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Another man interjected in an attempt to further intimidate the journalist, who was covering the protest outside an ICE detention centre in New Jersey, where a hunger strike is in place and arrests of protesters had previously been made following the suspension of family visitation rights by officials.
The second man asked: “Why don’t you go back to your country?” and “How did you get here?” The second man later said: “You need to go.”
Leo insisted he would not be intimidated by “violent people” before he asked the police officers in attendance if they had witnessed the altercation. He was bluntly told that he had asked provocative questions and should move on.
The clip, which was shared on Facebook, was viewed 309,000 times in four hours, attracting more than 5,000 comments.
Facebook user Sean Cully said: “Fair play, Ben, held your own there.”
Steve Wallis said: “Ben did well there, didn’t flinch, stayed calm. Good lad.”
Brett Winnett was also full of praise: “What a legend of a presenter. Well played.”
Of the aggressive protester, James Branch said: “He needs an anger management course.”
Carol Blalock Mangum said: “Do you know if you’ve got to go on a rant about something that happened hundreds of years ago, you ain’t got an argument, just a loud mouth full of uncontrollable emotions.”
Daniel Haines said: “The solution of those without an answer: don’t let them speak.”
Officials say the protest has gathered significant momentum, with between 300 and 400 detainees taking part in the strike.
The chaos at Delaney Hall has erupted into the latest battleground in the backlash against Donald Trump‘s hardline immigration crackdown during his second term in office.
New Jersey officials, including Rep. Mikie Sherrill, revealed on Sunday that three people were arrested following violent clashes outside the detention centre on Saturday night. Authorities claimed the arrests came after a group of protesters allegedly attacked police officers and breached a security barrier.
The unrest comes as tensions continue to mount inside the facility. On May 22, detainees launched a hunger and labour strike, demanding better living conditions, improved medical care, a meeting with Sherrill, and faster progress on their immigration cases.