Site Fight
Watch moment furious man clashes with local and interrupts BBC news report
Tensions rise as fuming residents say they’ve had enough
BBC viewers were left stunned as a furious man interrupted a live news report and clashed with a local resident.
The unexpected outburst unfolded during coverage from the scene, with tensions boiling over in front of stunned reporters.
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The explosive moment saw a furious man living in a converted horse box square up to a local during a heated row in Bristol.
Tempers erupted on BBC cameras as the bloke fumed at a woman who claimed he shouldn't be living on parkland.
He snapped: “Why shouldn’t I? What’s it got to do with you?” - before she hit back with: “Attitude.”
That only riled him up more, as he shouted: “No! It’s called standing up for rights.”
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The bust-up happened during a report from Clifton Down, where dozens of people are living in vans, caravans and motorhomes parked around the popular green space.
Fuming residents say they’ve had enough - accusing some of the “van dwellers” of dumping loo waste in drains, gardens and bushes.
Van dwellers say they're on the move for all sorts of reasons - with some calling it a lifestyle choice, while others blame Bristol’s eye-watering rents and cost-of-living crisis for forcing them out of traditional homes.
A number are also said to be living with specific vulnerabilities.
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But fed-up locals aren’t buying it.
A group called “Protect the Downs” has been launched on Facebook, led by ex-RAF serviceman Tony Nelson.
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Speaking to the BBC, he admitted some van dwellers are “responsible” and “never a problem” - but slammed others for giving the community a bad name.
Furious locals have gone even further - accusing some van dwellers of drug use, human trafficking and prostitution.
Tony Nelson, who runs the “Protect the Downs” Facebook group, didn’t hold back, telling the BBC: “This used to be famous across the country.
"I’d heard of the Bristol Downs when I was living in East Anglia - so I know it was once a treasured place. Now it’s become a sink.”
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But van dweller Danny, who only gave his first name, hit back, branding some of the online claims “absolutely ludicrous” and borderline hate crimes.
He insists he’s paid £35,000 in business rates over the years via arts and events firms he’s run.
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It’s thought there are around 680 vehicles being used as homes across Bristol - from roadsides and squatted sites to council-run plots with basic facilities like water, toilets and waste disposal.
Bristol City Council has acknowledged the issue is “complex” and says it’s working on a plan to support van dwellers and respond to community concerns.
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