Scenes 13 to 16

A co-production between BBC Radio 4 and Franco-German Company Arte

• SCENE 13

• POLICE STATION.
  
  AHMED IS MAKING A PHONECALL. THE PHONE RINGS.

• HER: [PHONE MESSAGE] Hi. This is Claire. Please leave me a message.

• HIM: Claire, it’s me. I’m at the police station. In Canary Wharf. I don’t know why. J’ai laissé ton numéro au boulot chez toi, enfin dans ton appart.

• OFFICER: You must speak English here in the detention area, Mr. Hamil.

• HIM: Je me rappelle plus du nom de là où tu travailles.

• HIM: [ON THE PHONE] I don’t know what I’m doing here. They won’t listen to me.

• OFFICER: Mr. Hamil, would you mind stepping into the custody suite?

• SCENE 14

• MID-INTERVIEW.

• OFFICER: What can you tell me about Claire Thomas?

• HIM: I told you. She is my girlfriend. I am visiting her for the weekend.

• OFFICER: Today’s Tuesday.

• HIM: L’Eurostar est moins cher si on rentre en semaine.

• TRANSLATOR: The Eurostar tickets are cheaper during the week.

• OFFICER: Do you have a return ticket?

• TRANSLATOR: Vous avez un billet de retour ?

• HIM: This is ridiculous.

• OFFICER: Calm down, Mr. Hamil. We are trying to contact Miss Thomas.

• HIM: Arrêtez de me dire de me calmer. C’est une atteinte aux droits de l’homme votre truc.

• TRANSLATOR TRANSLATES

• OFFICER: I have explained the nature of the arrest. Why are you carrying a map and information on the Houses of Parliament?

• AHMED LAUGHS

• HIM: Je suis un touriste. J’ai fait la visite du Parlement. Vous voulez que je vous raconte le débat ? Y’avait des vieux.

• TRANSLATOR TRANSLATES

• OFFICER: No. That’s fine. We can check security tapes.

• HIM: Incredible.

• OFFICER: Why did you look at your phone on disembarking the escalators, Mr. Hamil?

• HIM: Sorry?

• OFFICER: Why did look at your phone?

• HIM: To see the time.

• OFFICER: Why not your watch?

• HIM: I don’t know.

• OFFICER: And what was the time?

• HIM: Six o’clock.

• OFFICER: You looked at your phone. Then up at the camera.

• HIM: Camera?

• OFFICER: Security camera.

• HIM: I didn’t.

• OFFICER: We have footage of you looking directly into the camera by the ticket barriers.

• HIM: I don’t understand ...

• TRANSLATOR: Ils ont une bande vidéo sur laquelle vous regardez droit dans la caméra.

• HIM: No. I understand what you’re saying. I didn’t see a camera.

• OFFICER: You have security cameras in Paris?

• TRANSLATOR: Vous avez des caméras de sécurité à Paris ?

• HIM: Yes, of course we do.

• SCENE 15

• HER: Ahmed ...

• OFFICER: This is Police Constable Drayton.

• HER: Who?

• OFFICER: Police Constable Drayton. Is that Miss Claire Thomas?

• HER: Yes. What the hell’s going on?

• SCENE 16

• POLICE QUESTIONING ROOM, LONDON.
  
  A TRANSLATOR TRANSLATES THE POLICE OFFICER’S WORDS INTO FRENCH AS HE SPEAKS.
  
  

• OFFICER: Twenty-eight days from today. That’s when the authorisation expires. It’s all on the form.
  
  HE HANDS HIM A FORM.
  
  This is a standard form to explain the nature of the arrest and the subsequent questioning. Another form here –
  
  HE HANDS HIM ANOTHER FORM
  
  Explaining procedure should you wish to make a complaint.
  
  HE LAUGHS.

• HIM: Déposer une plainte ? Mais c’est une blague.

• TRANSLATOR: Ils continuent d’enregistrer la déposition.

• HIM: Je m’en fous.

• OFFICER: The interview is now over. Time 6.32 p.m. exactly.
  HE STOPS THE TAPE.

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