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The Survivors of the 2023 Nottingham attacks are calling for full transparency in the upcoming public inquiry by requesting that the proceedings are streamed on YouTube when hearings begin in February 2026.
With the hearings scheduled to take place in London, the Survivors invite the Inquiry Chair to permit streaming on YouTube with a short delay of 5–15 minutes whilst excluding any material subject to restriction orders or sensitive content, and to archive recordings on YouTube daily to ensure flexible access for those unable to attend in person due to work, health, or travel constraints.
The Survivors feel streaming, and the archive of evidence on YouTube is essential for ensuring the ability for meaningful engagement from the wider public, particularly for communities in Nottingham and the East Midlands.
The Inquiry will scrutinise the conduct of the local Nottingham based agencies and institutions, including Nottingham Mental Health Trust, Nottinghamshire Police, Nottingham City Council, and Nottingham University, in examining systems and the management of patients with mental health disorders and psychosis. Given the regional and national significance of these issues, the Survivors believe that limiting broadcast access would not serve the public interest, hinder meaningful public engagement, and restrict the Inquiries reach.
Online access is vital to ensure that the local community can follow the proceedings and hold their institutions accountable. Beyond reaching a national audience, streaming of the Inquiry on YouTube offers a simple, practical way for the public to engage directly with the Inquiry.
The Survivors and their legal team point to the Southport Inquiry as a model, where streaming on YouTube of the hearing and evidence which is not subject to a Restriction Order and with a slight delay and daily archiving are being successfully implemented despite the sensitive nature of the evidence.
They also highlight other major public inquiries – including the inquiries into the Manchester Arena bombing, the Grenfell Tower fire, the Post Office Horizon scandal, and the Covid-19 pandemic – as examples where public broadcasting ensures enhanced transparency and public trust.
The Survivors support the need for appropriate restrictions to prevent the broadcast of distressing and sensitive content relating to the attacks on 13 June 2023, particularly where the victims' families are concerned. However, a key issue for the Survivors is the issue of preventability of the attacks upon them and the interoperability of the immediate State agency response particularly during the critical 90-minute period following the initial attacks, the Survivors call for that aspect of evidence as to the multi-agency response of the blue light services and others from 13 June 2023 to be broadcast and available on YouTube ensures the necessary public scrutiny.
The Survivors' legal team have made written submissions to the Chair that full public access is necessary to uphold the Inquiry's purpose of transparency, accountability, and public confidence.
A preliminary hearing on the issue of broadcasting will take place on Friday 7 November 2025 when oral submissions will be made.
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