A bus driver who was stuck in the middle of a huge anti-racism protest for hours said the experience made him proud to be a Brightonian. Greg Lord was operating the number seven Brighton and Hove Bus service towards George Street , when his route got cut short after being swarmed by protestors in Queens Road on August 7 . Counter-protesters took to Brighton city centre after rumours of possible upcoming riots spread.
This came as violent protests were causing destruction across the country since the tragic Southport stabbings which killed three girls. Greg Lord has been a bus driver for the company for over 20 years (Image: Brighton and Hove Buses) Greg has been a bus driver for the company for over 20 years. And unknowingly his bus became part of the symbol of unity within Brighton after an image taken on the night and shared on The Argus went viral internationally.
“People had been talking about the protests all day, and I wasn’t sure at what time it would get busy," Greg told The Argus. "But surely enough as soon as I went up Queen’s Road it was starting to get crowded. 'It was astonishing, because as I was going up the road it was perfectly clear and then all of a sudden it filled with a crowd' (Image: EDDIE MITCHELL) “It was astonishing, because as I was going up the road it was perfectly clear and then all of a sudden it filled with a crowd.
“As soon as I saw that the number of people would be able to surround the bus, I made the decision to stop, turn the bus off and let the passengers off the bus so that they wouldn’t be stuck. I had about half a dozen passengers on board. Read more: 18 pictures as Brighton avoids riots and thousands counter-protest “I contacted the controller and let them know about the situation and that I couldn’t move forward or continue my service, and that I’ll be sitting here as long as the protests are going on around me.
” Brighton and Hove Buses said that Greg could leave the bus at any time and that they were in constant communication and monitoring the ongoing situation. Greg said: “I was stuck there for about two hours and a half, so it wasn’t too bad. I had some of the people outside of the bus pass me bottles of water and protein bars to keep me going.
” Read more: Man jailed after 'lumping' man during Brighton's Queen's Road protest “If I’m honest seeing all the protest made me quite emotional and it was a moment that made me proud of my city. To see all the protestors against racism and showing the unity of the city was beautiful. “Eventually the police turned up to take control of the situation that was going on and they circled in front of the bus to create a blockade between the two sides.
I have to say that the police did an incredible job and deserve praise for how they handled it all.” “This was definitely a moment to remember and a moment that makes your proud to be a Brightonian.” Greg stayed with the bus for the duration of the protests in a show of professionalism amid uncertain circumstances.
When the protests died down, he drove back to the depot and was told to head for the evening..
