A British undercover journalist who had aimed to infiltrate a far-right political organization in the north of England for a Channel 4 documentary has been attacked by what is understood to have been a gang of anti-fascist activists.
The year-long undercover investigation aimed to expose what Channel 4 describes as the “concerning new tactics of Britain’s far-right,” focusing on a group named Patriotic Alternative (PA), who recently made headlines for distributing fake leaflets using the U.K. Conservative and Labour parties’ insignia in a bid to deter voters from supporting the mainstream political parties.
In a clip, promoted by U.S. conservative journalist Andy Ngô, the journalist can be seen discussing the political operations of the Patriotic Alternative with one of its activists as they distribute leaflets to homes on the outskirts of the South Yorkshire town of Rotherham.
As the journalist and the activist make their way through the houses on one residential street, a masked group can be seen via a hidden body-cam approaching the pair.
As the masked individuals confront the duo, the Channel 4 journalist tries to reason with them.
“Listen, listen, listen! I’m an undercover journalist. I’m an undercover journalist,” he pleads as he is assaulted by one hooded individual and knocked to the floor.
“Mate, listen to me! I’m being serious,” the journalist cries as he is repeatedly attacked on the floor.
The man manages to rise to his feet and takes off on foot, reportedly following the broadcaster’s protocols and making contact with a nearby back-up vehicle, confirming he had “been attacked” by “some guys with masks on, three of them.”
The documentary voice-over later suggests the group were “far-left anti-fascists.”
The Channel 4 investigation, titled The Enemy Within: The Far Right: Dispatches, was broadcast in the U.K. on Monday evening.