Communities under attack: The London Nail Bombings

We start this week exactly how you’d expect.

A bit of chat. A bit of South London waffle. Probably a side quest before we’ve even technically started. We mention Electric Avenue. Yes, the song. Yes, we sing it. No, we’re not sorry.

And then we get serious.

Because on Saturday 17 April 1999, Brixton was doing what Brixton does. Market traders packing up. Families out shopping. Iceland just being Iceland. Completely normal. Completely ordinary.

Until a blue sports bag was left behind.

In this episode we tell the story of the Brixton nail bombing — the first in a two-week campaign of hate that would shake London. We focus on what happened on Electric Avenue that afternoon, how the device was moved and misunderstood, how nobody quite believed it could be real… and what happened when it detonated.

We talk about the chaos. The injuries. The people who stepped in to help. The investigation that followed. And we examine who David Copeland was, how he became radicalised, and how extremist ideology turned into real-world violence on a South London high street.

But as always, this is about more than the man who planted the bomb.

It’s about Brixton. Its history. Its community. And the legacy of a day that was meant to divide people, but didn’t.

A community under attack will not be divided.

Together, we are strong.

Support the show

Thanks for tuning in! If you loved diving into the dark corners of South London with us, don't forget to hit that subscribe button to never miss an episode of "Sinister South."

Also, follow us on Instagram @SinisterSouthPodcast for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, and more cheeky banter, or www.sinistersouthpod.co.uk. Remember, every crime tells a story... and South is the best side of the river...

Produced and hosted by Hannah Williams & Rachel Baines
Mixed & edited by Purple Waves Sound (A.K.A Will)