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A rusting ship anchored
off the English coast,
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bearing the scars of an
armed attack.
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00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:14,280
They were in international waters,
and that was supposed
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00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:15,520
to keep them safe.
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00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:18,760
And they were safe until
the raiders arrived.
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00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,120
A Lebanese high rise of glitz
and glamour consumed
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00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:26,280
by hate and fear.
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00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:32,360
The militias are going to have to go
floor by floor, room by room,
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00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:37,640
chucking grenades, firing blindly
until nobody is shooting back.
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00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:44,200
A Japanese curiosity caught
in a web of corruption.
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00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:51,200
He was a very high-flying
businessman with a lot
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00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:56,760
of big plans and a tendency to cut
corners ethically in his businesses.
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00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:06,400
And a strange structure at the heart
of a Florida suburb that began
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00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:09,200
as a dream and turned
into a nightmare.
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00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:15,000
It's one of the top murder
capitals of South Florida.
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00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:17,920
We are waking this city back up.
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00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:24,760
Decaying relics...
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...ruins of lost worlds...
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...sights haunted by the past...
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...their secrets waiting
to be revealed.
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On England's south-east coast,
anchored in the Blackwater estuary,
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00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:56,240
is an illicit piece of
pop culture history.
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00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:03,960
At first glance, this seems like
a perfectly ordinary sight.
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00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,320
A ship moored in a waterway
that leads out to the sea.
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00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:09,000
But look again.
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There's something here
that doesn't quite add up.
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00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:16,960
It has this strange mast sort of
sprouting out from its centre.
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00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:18,720
What can it be used for?
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00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:23,360
Looking below deck, inside is
everything you would expect
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to find on an average ship.
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With its wood panelling and
brass instruments, the bridge feels
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like something from another era.
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00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:37,240
Other elements come as a little
bit of a surprise.
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00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:39,240
They really seem out of place here.
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We find these strange machines,
scattered microphones,
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record players, album covers.
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This is unmistakeably
a broadcast studio.
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00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:56,720
What were they broadcasting and
why was it so important to hide it?
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00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:00,960
Over the years, vessels like this
were crewed by buccaneers
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00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:03,800
hellbent on liberating the masses -
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00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:07,240
not from their money,
but from musical monotony.
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00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:11,360
There was a kind of joyful anarchy
that took place on this ship,
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00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:14,960
and the authorities decided
to put this to an end.
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00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:26,560
I came out here in 1984
when I was in my 20s.
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00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:29,840
The ship had only been at sea
for about a year and a half or so,
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{\an8}having been refitted in Spain.
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{\an8}So it glistened in the sunlight
and freshly painted,
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it looked absolutely splendid and
I was very excited to step on board.
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00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:42,280
Nigel Harris lived and worked on
this former North Atlantic
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00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:44,680
fishing trawler for five years.
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00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:49,520
When he first boarded the vessel,
the ship already had a storied past.
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{\an8}In 1976, she broke the world's
record for biggest earnings
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{\an8}from a single catch,
sailing into port with 200 tons
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00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:01,080
of cod in the hold.
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00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:04,960
{\an8}But trawlers like this were
becoming redundant, and in 1981
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00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:07,640
{\an8}she was towed to a breaker's yard
in Scotland,
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00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:10,440
where she'd be stripped out
for parts.
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00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:14,680
Still in good condition, the ship
was spotted by a new buyer
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00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:16,960
and put back to sea.
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00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:19,120
But these were no fishermen.
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00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:22,160
Nigel worked for an organisation
that operated on
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the wrong side of the law.
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00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:27,840
The authorities were keeping an eye
on us all the time,
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00:04:27,840 --> 00:04:30,080
and getting boats
to bring our diesel out
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00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:33,480
and finding skippers who would do it
over and over again
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00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:34,880
became more and more difficult.
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00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:38,880
But when it worked, I must say,
it did work well.
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00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:42,600
This is the Ross Revenge.
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00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:46,120
In the 1980s, it was the latest
in a long line
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00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:49,360
of offshore pirate radio stations.
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00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:51,120
MUSIC
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00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:55,040
The concept began as a cunning
antidote to the British
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00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:59,520
establishment's uptight attitude
to 1960s popular music.
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00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:06,360
{\an8}So we like to think of the 1960s as
a great moment of change in music.
75
00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:10,680
We talk about the British
revolution, the Beatles,
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00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:13,320
the Rolling Stones, and of course,
in the Americas
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00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:15,600
we have Motown music.
78
00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:19,800
At that time, the BBC, the British
Broadcasting Corporation,
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00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:23,800
were the only ones with a licence
to broadcast on the radio.
80
00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:28,800
But the rock and roll revolution
sweeping the United States
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00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,360
had no place on British airwaves.
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00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:37,920
The BBC considered it to be immoral,
favouring a bland diet
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00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:40,920
of news and light entertainment.
84
00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:44,520
They would only play pop music
for a few hours at the weekend.
85
00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:50,880
All of these era-defining artists
were releasing albums that people
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00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:55,640
just weren't able to listen to on
traditional, conventional radio.
87
00:05:57,280 --> 00:06:01,520
We must remember that
Radio 1 did not exist,
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00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:05,040
so there was this massively
underserved market.
89
00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:07,880
So this was a business opportunity.
90
00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:12,280
The government refused to license
independent broadcasters.
91
00:06:12,280 --> 00:06:14,840
But Irish music promoter
Ronan O'Reilly
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00:06:14,840 --> 00:06:18,920
was determined to find a way
to break the BBC monopoly.
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00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:22,440
Whilst the government could shut
down anyone broadcasting illegally
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00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:25,680
on land, once you were in
international waters,
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you were beyond their power.
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00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:32,720
O'Reilly raised £250,000
to launch his passion project.
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His new station soon began operating
three miles off the British coast.
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MUSIC
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# Caroline,
the sound of the nation... ♪
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When Radio Caroline first
started broadcasting in 1964,
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they were at the forefront of
the pirate radio revolution.
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Suddenly, music fans could
tune in and hear new artists
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whenever they wanted.
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♪ Caroline! ♪
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00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:06,480
By 1965, around 15 million Brits
were tuning in to offshore
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00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:08,960
pirate radio on a daily basis.
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00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:13,440
The BBC didn't like it and neither
did the British government.
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00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:16,720
Over the following decades,
the authorities and the pirates
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00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:21,400
played a game of cat and mouse,
with the government passing new laws
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00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:25,320
to shut them down and the pirates
finding new ways to keep
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00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:27,240
the music playing.
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00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:31,880
{\an8}In 1980, Radio Caroline's
latest ship, the Mi Amigo,
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sank during a violent storm.
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The team needed a new boat.
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Enter the Ross Revenge.
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Official broadcasts of the new
Radio Caroline began at noon
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on August 20th, 1983.
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This studio you see now is the main
on air original studio
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00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:52,760
on the Ross Revenge.
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00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:57,120
This is the mixer we used and still
works as far as I know.
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00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:02,080
Microphone faders
here for turntables.
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00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:04,880
It was a great place to be,
lots of fun out here.
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00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:09,160
I used to play a lot of Steely Dan
and Fleetwood Mac.
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00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:12,160
Electric Light Orchestra
has always been a favourite.
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00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:16,360
Ross Revenge didn't just house
Radio Caroline, but also
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00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:18,760
other radio stations.
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00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:23,080
Well, the Dutch service operating
from Studio 2 next door
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00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:28,280
here on the Ross Revenge was
in my day called Radio Monique,
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00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:30,440
and they were based in Holland.
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00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:34,640
All secret again, all under
the cover of darkness, so to speak.
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00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:39,160
But Radio Caroline was treading
a fine line, and the British
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00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:42,160
and Dutch governments' patience
was running out.
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00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:47,200
Over time, things did get
more complicated.
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00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:50,560
The authorities became more wary
of boats getting out here,
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00:08:50,560 --> 00:08:53,200
so the time between our supply
boats would get longer
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00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,160
and longer and longer as things
became more difficult.
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00:08:56,160 --> 00:09:00,760
Throughout the summer of 1989,
Radio Caroline kept on broadcasting
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00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:05,000
despite increasing harassment
from the authorities.
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00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:08,480
On August 18th, a ship chartered
by the UK government pulled up
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00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:11,680
alongside the Ross Revenge,
asking to come aboard
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00:09:11,680 --> 00:09:13,480
and discuss the ship's future.
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00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,800
When the crew rejected their
demands, it returned to port.
143
00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:20,880
The next day, when Nigel
was hosting his morning show,
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00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:22,960
all hell broke loose.
145
00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:26,600
I was on the air in here
and it was a misty morning,
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00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:29,640
and I looked through that porthole
out to the stern of the ship
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00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:33,400
and through the mist,
this great big Dutch tug appeared.
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It came alongside,
slammed alongside.
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00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:40,800
Faced with a 30 strong armed
boarding party, the small crew
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00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:43,200
were in no position to stop them.
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00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:09,080
There were two or three of us in
here and they came in,
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00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:11,880
manhandled us out of the studios,
closed the door on us,
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00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:14,920
and then started to pull wires out
of the back of the mixer.
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00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:18,400
I just don't understand
how this can be happening.
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00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:21,680
It's a strange feeling
in your stomach that
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00:10:21,680 --> 00:10:23,560
is this the end?
It can't be.
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00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:29,840
At 1:08 pm, the Ross Revenge
was silenced and Radio Caroline
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had gone off the airwaves.
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While the pirate crew was rounded
up and interrogated,
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00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:39,080
the authorities went to work.
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Studio equipment, records and tapes
were all boxed up and confiscated.
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00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:47,560
They even cut the aerial
cables from the tower.
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00:10:47,560 --> 00:10:51,040
They knew that they couldn't remove
the massive transmitters held
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00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:53,480
below decks, so they simply
took sledgehammers
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00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:56,040
to the delicate electronics.
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00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:59,600
When the raiders had finally gone,
Nigel was left
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to assess the damage.
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00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:04,800
We saw beer bottles lying around
everywhere, so it was almost
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00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:08,800
like they come out here on a bit
of a jolly, bit of drinking,
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00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:12,200
a bit of smashing, and then
they all went home.
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00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:14,600
The pirate DJs didn't give up.
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00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:19,440
They scavenged replacement parts
and quickly got back on air.
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00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:21,840
We had so much help
from listeners as well.
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00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:25,640
They donated food, they
donated records.
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But the writing was on the wall.
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00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:33,200
In November 1990, the ship was
forced to stop broadcasting
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due to a lack of fuel
and essential supplies.
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It was left anchored in the
English Channel to await its fate.
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00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:46,560
In 1991, the Ross Revenge lost its
moorings and began to drift
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00:11:46,560 --> 00:11:49,640
onto a sandbank, and when the ship
was eventually towed
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00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:54,080
into port, its 27-year
broadcast history came to an end.
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00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:04,560
Pirate radio, although illegal,
is credited with paving the way
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00:12:04,560 --> 00:12:08,360
for popular music to be given
a voice in the United Kingdom.
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00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:12,080
The Ross Revenge is part
of that legacy.
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00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:15,200
Today, the Ross Revenge is open to
the public for visits,
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00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:19,960
but keeping a ship of this size in
good condition is no easy feat.
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Well, there's still a lot of work
to be done on the Ross Revenge.
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It can't sit on the water forever.
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Unless this work is done,
its future is uncertain.
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00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:36,960
In the Lebanese capital of Beirut,
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00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:40,880
modern buildings conceal
the reminders of a city divided.
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00:12:45,880 --> 00:12:50,480
You have all these gleaming
high rises and fancy
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00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:52,480
shops and restaurants.
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00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:56,520
But in the middle of all,
this is one tall building
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00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:58,400
that is an absolute wreck.
196
00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:03,760
This does not look like normal
wear and tear.
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00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:05,760
And you go inside, it's...
198
00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:07,880
...there's no clues
as to what it was.
199
00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:10,120
Everything's been stripped out.
200
00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:15,120
In the beginning, this was
a beacon of progress
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00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:18,360
and the height of extravagance
in a modern city.
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00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:21,320
It became a ferocious symbol
of struggle.
203
00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:26,560
So how did it fall from that place
to this destroyed shell
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00:13:26,560 --> 00:13:28,320
of its former self?
205
00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:32,760
Haunting clues are revealed
etched into the crumbling walls.
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00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:36,440
It's almost like you can see some
kind of clash of civilisations
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00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:38,400
playing out in the graffiti.
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00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:41,360
There's some in Arabic,
but then you also
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00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:44,400
see Christian crosses.
210
00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:49,720
This is a building that had gone
from a beautiful Middle Eastern
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00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:57,000
destination into the very epitome
of hell on earth.
212
00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:09,080
Marwan Ayoubi first came here
in 1976 when he was 17 years old.
213
00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:13,040
When it was built two years earlier,
it was the talk of the town.
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00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:24,360
But Marwan didn't
check in as a guest.
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00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:28,000
He was here for a very
different purpose.
216
00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:01,400
This is the Holiday Inn Hotel,
217
00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:06,640
once the pinnacle of sophistication
at the heart of a destination city,
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00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:09,560
different from the one we see today.
219
00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:14,920
In the 1970s,
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00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:17,520
Beirut is
221
00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:18,960
{\an8}a Western-looking,
222
00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:21,760
{\an8}French-speaking city,
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00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:24,640
and people from around the world
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00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:27,600
are happy to fly to Beirut
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00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:30,120
to enjoy the Mediterranean climate.
226
00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:37,080
It's a place of openness and
a kind of pride in their ability,
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00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:40,840
{\an8}which was unusual in the Middle East
at any time,
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00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:43,320
{\an8}to coexist with so many different
cultures -
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00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:46,240
{\an8}Christians, Jews, Muslims.
230
00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:50,560
In this booming
cosmopolitan metropolis,
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00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:55,400
impressive new hotels sprung up
in the downtown port district,
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00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:58,360
including this one in 1974.
233
00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:02,520
The Holiday Inn was
a very ambitious hotel chain,
234
00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:05,800
{\an8}and they would open
these kind of flagship hotels
235
00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:10,280
in important cities around the world
to advertise the brand.
236
00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:13,640
It's the tallest hotel in the city.
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00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:19,160
It has got a revolving restaurant
on the roof,
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00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:21,000
which is possibly
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00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:23,880
the most 1970s thing ever.
240
00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:27,560
It opened in a time when
the future for Beirut and Lebanon
241
00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:29,160
seemed very bright.
242
00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:34,800
But below the surface,
tension was building
243
00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:38,680
between the country's
Muslim and Christian populations.
244
00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:43,680
So, while wealthy tourists
and other visitors were partying,
245
00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:46,840
the politics in Lebanon
were changing radically.
246
00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:50,760
These sectarian rivalries
had been growing
247
00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:53,000
for over two decades.
248
00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:55,080
Like many of the countries
in the Middle East,
249
00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:59,280
the borders of Lebanon were
more or less imposed on it
250
00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:01,600
by European powers.
251
00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:04,840
The French established the current
borders after World War I.
252
00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:09,200
When Lebanon was given
its independence in 1943,
253
00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:13,000
power is distributed among
the various religious groups -
254
00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:17,720
you know, the Maronite Christians,
the Muslims and the Druze.
255
00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:20,080
It makes no-one happy.
256
00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:23,360
It's just a matter
of how long it's going to take
257
00:17:23,360 --> 00:17:25,400
for Lebanon to fall apart.
258
00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:29,320
After the founding of Israel
in 1948,
259
00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:33,720
Palestinians were forcibly
removed from their homes.
260
00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:37,760
In the years that followed,
the refugee crisis only intensified,
261
00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:41,360
and by 1968, 400,000 people
262
00:17:41,360 --> 00:17:43,160
had sought shelter in Lebanon.
263
00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:48,080
But that introduced a new
radicalism into Lebanese politics.
264
00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:51,560
And you start to see the emergence
of these sectarian militias
265
00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:55,400
to defend Maronite interests or
Shia interests or Sunni interests
266
00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:56,800
or Druze interests.
267
00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:01,000
All of these different
religious and cultural groups
268
00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:03,040
that had coexisted peacefully,
269
00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:05,480
suddenly they were
at each other's throats.
270
00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:10,480
A year after the Holiday Inn opens,
271
00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:12,520
the civil war kicks off.
272
00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:18,160
The city's hotel district
quickly became the epicentre
273
00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:19,960
of the violence.
274
00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:24,840
Beirut is kind of bifurcated
into a Christian East Beirut
275
00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:26,840
and a Muslim West Beirut,
276
00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:29,360
separated by something called
the Green Line.
277
00:18:29,360 --> 00:18:33,040
And the Holiday Inn and the other,
you know, fancy hotels in Beirut,
278
00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:37,880
just happened to be situated
along what is now the Green Line.
279
00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:42,600
In any military encounter,
you want to control the high ground.
280
00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:46,000
This is how the Union Army
won the Battle of Gettysburg
281
00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:47,760
in the Civil War.
282
00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:53,960
And in Beirut, these tall hotels,
they were the high ground.
283
00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:57,040
The Holiday Inn was
the tallest of them all
284
00:18:57,040 --> 00:19:01,200
in what would become
known as the Battle of the Hotels.
285
00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:02,560
GUNFIRE
286
00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:06,040
And in the early years of the civil
war, the Phalange militia,
287
00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:09,240
the Maronite Christians,
they control the Holiday Inn,
288
00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:12,200
while the neighbouring Phoenicia
Hotel and other structures
289
00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:15,640
are controlled by the Lebanese
National Movement militias.
290
00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:20,200
In March of 1976,
a coalition of Muslim forces
291
00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:24,680
launched an attack against
the heavily guarded Holiday Inn.
292
00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:29,600
Marwan Ayoubi led a small unit
into the high-stakes fight.
293
00:19:42,120 --> 00:19:45,280
Muslim militias,
they penetrate the hotel,
294
00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:47,920
they get control of the lobby
and the lower floors
295
00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:50,400
and they start to celebrate,
"We've taken the hotel."
296
00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:55,280
It seemed like a victory.
What they didn't fully appreciate
297
00:19:55,280 --> 00:20:00,640
was that there were still dozens
of Christian militia fighters
298
00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:02,520
on the floors above them.
299
00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:04,920
The result was just total chaos.
300
00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:21,640
For three days and three nights,
301
00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:26,440
bitter fighting raged across
the 26 floors of the Holiday Inn.
302
00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:30,360
Over 40 men were killed
and hundreds severely injured
303
00:20:30,360 --> 00:20:33,200
before the Muslim militia
emerged victorious.
304
00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:38,320
All the world sees the violence
in Beirut
305
00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:42,000
on their television screens
every night.
306
00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:46,080
Everyone sees
once-great hotels
307
00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:50,720
dissolve
into a welter of explosions.
308
00:20:52,640 --> 00:20:58,320
The conflict continued to ravage
the country for the next 14 years.
309
00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:03,800
During that time, warring factions
periodically occupied the hotel.
310
00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,360
Any trace of its former grandeur
was obliterated by the struggle.
311
00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:11,360
And the civil war really
isn't resolved
312
00:21:11,360 --> 00:21:14,360
until the Taif Accord in 1989,
313
00:21:14,360 --> 00:21:17,280
when, you know, the various groups
are all coaxed
314
00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:19,240
into this peace arrangement -
315
00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:22,600
basically, giving certain portfolios
of government
316
00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:24,920
to the different groups.
317
00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:28,720
Those who fought in the war had
to reconcile the many years
318
00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:31,680
spent fighting against
their fellow countrymen.
319
00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:58,800
Over the years, the Port
of Beirut has been revitalised,
320
00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:04,160
while the Holiday Inn has sat
untouched, caught in a legal limbo.
321
00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:08,840
The ownership is split between
a group of Lebanese investors
322
00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:11,320
who want to refurbish it
323
00:22:11,320 --> 00:22:16,720
and a Kuwaiti shareholder who wants
to tear it down and start over.
324
00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:22,400
For now, it stands there
as this somewhat horrifying symbol
325
00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:25,480
of just how far off the rails
a modern society can go.
326
00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:34,960
In the hills west of Niigata, Japan,
327
00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:38,520
stands a place
that defies rational explanation.
328
00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:51,080
The first thing your eye is drawn to
is this huge sea of solar panels.
329
00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:55,480
But right on their edge,
there's a very unexpected structure.
330
00:22:56,800 --> 00:23:01,400
You see an enormous
Russian-style cathedral,
331
00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:05,960
complete with the onion-type domes
and crosses on top of each one.
332
00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:09,560
What's it doing here
in the middle of rural Japan?
333
00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:15,040
For two countries that were
sworn enemies for many years,
334
00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:18,120
something doesn't add up,
335
00:23:18,120 --> 00:23:22,800
yet whoever ordered its construction
clearly invested heavily.
336
00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:26,040
With the twisted remains
of the stained-glass windows
337
00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:30,680
and the gold paint, you can still
get a sense of its faded grandeur.
338
00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:35,640
If you look straight up,
who's staring back at you?
339
00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:37,000
Jesus.
340
00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:42,200
But a fire-damaged complex
next to the church
341
00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:46,240
suggests faith alone
was not enough to save this place.
342
00:23:47,360 --> 00:23:51,480
It seems there was some kind
of cross-cultural tribute
343
00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:52,880
intended here,
344
00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:58,080
but one that obviously didn't work
out that well in the end.
345
00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:02,120
Unchecked ambition and corruption is
what brought this dream to an end.
346
00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:15,120
Sasaguchi Yuji is the caretaker
of this site today.
347
00:24:15,120 --> 00:24:19,360
When he came here in the 1990s,
it was as a paying guest.
348
00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:46,680
This is the Russian Village.
349
00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:50,760
It began as an expression
of friendship
350
00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:54,080
between two former rivals.
351
00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:57,440
Traditionally, relations
between Japan and Russia
352
00:24:57,440 --> 00:24:58,760
{\an8}were not good,
353
00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:01,600
{\an8}but towards the end of the
20th century, something happened
354
00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:04,360
that established a certain bond
between the people.
355
00:25:04,360 --> 00:25:08,960
In 1964, a severe earthquake
hit Niigata.
356
00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:11,120
{\an8}The ground liquefied,
357
00:25:11,120 --> 00:25:13,480
collapsing bridges and buildings,
358
00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:15,360
even buckling train tracks.
359
00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:19,120
In the wake of the destruction,
360
00:25:19,120 --> 00:25:22,840
help came from the most unlikely
of places.
361
00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:25,400
The earthquake killed about
three dozen people,
362
00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:29,040
destroyed thousands of homes.
It was a real crisis.
363
00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:32,800
And then a month later,
in the port,
364
00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:37,560
a huge shipment of wood
for construction, for rebuilding,
365
00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:41,720
arrived from two small cities
in Russia
366
00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:45,080
that had heard about the disaster.
367
00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:48,240
{\an8}It was a gesture that would allow
those who had lost their homes
368
00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:49,680
{\an8}to rebuild.
369
00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:54,320
The people of Niigata
never forgot that kindness.
370
00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:59,600
Mr Ryutaro Omori
was one of those people.
371
00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:03,480
Ryutaro Omori was
a local businessman
372
00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:06,120
who rose through the ranks
to become the president
373
00:26:06,120 --> 00:26:07,920
of the Niigata Central Bank.
374
00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:12,240
The Japanese economy was booming,
375
00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:16,160
and the Japanese people had a lot of
money and they wanted to spend it.
376
00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:17,840
They wanted to travel.
377
00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:22,760
It led to a boom in
building theme parks around Japan.
378
00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:27,120
And Omori had an idea
for not just one theme park,
379
00:26:27,120 --> 00:26:28,960
but a whole chain of them,
380
00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:32,560
so he started
with his Russian Village.
381
00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:36,440
With Niigata's connection to Russia,
382
00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:39,600
and the landscape of pine trees
and snowy mountains,
383
00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:42,680
it must have felt like
the obvious place to build it.
384
00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:47,000
It had reportedly cost $150 million
to develop.
385
00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:53,440
On the 1st September 1993,
386
00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:56,760
Russian Village
opened to great fanfare.
387
00:27:15,120 --> 00:27:17,880
So, while people were
at the Russian Village,
388
00:27:17,880 --> 00:27:21,200
they could eat at a Russian
restaurant serving Russian food.
389
00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:24,320
There was a little museum.
There was even an aquarium
390
00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:28,760
that had a certain species of seal
that lives in the Siberian Arctic.
391
00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:34,240
There used to be areas
filled with souvenir shops,
392
00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:36,240
a variety of fast-food stands,
393
00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:40,200
places where they would
demonstrate Russian folk crafts.
394
00:27:41,520 --> 00:27:46,280
In later years, the park even opened
a bizarre exhibition
395
00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:50,200
of fake life-sized taxidermy
woolly mammoths!
396
00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:57,320
The star attraction was the park's
most faithful offering.
397
00:27:57,320 --> 00:28:00,360
The church was closely based
on an actual Russian church
398
00:28:00,360 --> 00:28:02,600
called the Cathedral
of the Nativity.
399
00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:05,720
It's about 100 miles outside
of Moscow.
400
00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:09,800
They went to great lengths to
make it as authentic as possible,
401
00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:11,920
even hiring a Russian painter
402
00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:15,760
to create the murals decorating
the ceilings and pillars.
403
00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:19,920
There would have been
rows and rows of pews
404
00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:22,120
facing a raised stage
at the front of the church,
405
00:28:22,120 --> 00:28:24,880
where there would have been
a pipe organ
406
00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:29,280
and all kinds of Orthodox
iconography hanging from the walls.
407
00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:32,560
I mean, if you were looking
for somewhere a bit different,
408
00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:35,320
somewhere quite grand
to get married,
409
00:28:35,320 --> 00:28:37,560
where better than here?
410
00:28:37,560 --> 00:28:41,320
Fortunately for the bride and groom,
they had plenty of facilities
411
00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:43,600
next door for the reception.
412
00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:47,800
The Mura Hotel had 20 rooms,
413
00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:51,120
including luxurious suites
on the top floor,
414
00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:53,960
perhaps where the newlyweds
spent their wedding night.
415
00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:57,960
Although little remains today,
416
00:28:57,960 --> 00:28:59,720
from the size of the spaces,
417
00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:03,840
you get a real sense of just
how grand it would have been.
418
00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:07,880
But in 1994,
419
00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:11,960
only months after Omori's
bizarre venture first opened,
420
00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:13,880
cracks began to show.
421
00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:44,600
So once you looked at the church,
had a Russian meal, seen a show,
422
00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:46,400
you were ready to go home.
423
00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:53,080
With its poor attendance,
the numbers just weren't adding up
424
00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:55,120
for the Russian Village.
425
00:29:55,120 --> 00:30:00,280
Somehow, the park managed to keep
going for the next seven years,
426
00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:03,920
and in 2001 damning allegations
came to light
427
00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:07,560
revealing what was going on
behind closed doors.
428
00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:10,040
The visionary behind the park
429
00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:14,080
and the head of the bank
that financed it, Ryutaro Omori,
430
00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:17,280
had criminal charges
filed against him.
431
00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:23,000
His bank reported a deficit
of 168.7 billion yen.
432
00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:26,720
That's about $1.3 billion today.
433
00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:32,560
Omori made a lot of loans
that were somewhat dubious,
434
00:30:32,560 --> 00:30:36,920
and one of the shakiest was
to his own Russian Village.
435
00:30:36,920 --> 00:30:40,560
Even when he knew that the finances
were not that strong,
436
00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:44,040
he pushed through another loan
for the project,
437
00:30:44,040 --> 00:30:46,840
and that one
really got him in trouble.
438
00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:52,080
Omori was forced to resign
as head of the bank.
439
00:30:52,080 --> 00:30:53,960
While he was awaiting trial,
440
00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:58,760
a group of Russian financiers tried
to help save the park.
441
00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:01,800
Their investment was
too little, too late.
442
00:31:03,120 --> 00:31:05,320
Whilst his park was shutting down,
443
00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:09,760
in 2003, Omori was sentenced
to three years in prison.
444
00:31:09,760 --> 00:31:12,640
Just two years later, he died.
445
00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:21,520
In 2004, a short-lived attempt
446
00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:24,680
to reopen the park ended in failure.
447
00:31:24,680 --> 00:31:27,320
Many of the buildings were
then demolished
448
00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:30,760
and vandals destroyed what remained.
449
00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:35,760
The future for this area seems to be
in the solar energy being generated
450
00:31:35,760 --> 00:31:39,880
in this massive solar farm right
next door to the Russian Village.
451
00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:44,120
The hopes that people might
someday travel to this compound
452
00:31:44,120 --> 00:31:46,600
were really dashed many years ago.
453
00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:00,600
In Miami Dade County, Florida,
454
00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:04,800
are relics of a storybook fantasy
brought to life.
455
00:32:08,280 --> 00:32:11,560
This looks like a typical
Miami suburb,
456
00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:16,760
but then you notice that the streets
have some pretty unexpected names.
457
00:32:16,760 --> 00:32:22,680
You have Baghdad Avenue, Sharazad
Boulevard and Sinbad Avenue.
458
00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:26,640
In the middle of town is what looks
like a crumbling palace,
459
00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:28,960
which, much like the street names,
460
00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:32,200
appears wildly out of place
in Florida.
461
00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:37,080
It's got these pink domes, towering
minarets, castle-like battlements
462
00:32:37,080 --> 00:32:38,480
and a walled courtyard.
463
00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:42,360
It seems to be a mix
of various eastern influences.
464
00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:45,080
There's something a bit
fantastical about it all.
465
00:32:46,360 --> 00:32:49,120
Exteriors don't really match
the interiors.
466
00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:52,200
They're offices, they're spaces
that would be used
467
00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:54,120
for everyday activities.
468
00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:56,920
They're not elaborate,
like the outside of the building.
469
00:32:56,920 --> 00:33:01,920
This construction is just one piece
of a much bigger puzzle.
470
00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:05,560
These structures aren't as big
or impressive,
471
00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:10,000
but their coordinated style suggests
there was once a wider vision
472
00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:11,120
for this place.
473
00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:15,480
For a time, this was a fantasy
that you could buy into,
474
00:33:15,480 --> 00:33:18,520
but the dream would be
very tragically short-lived.
475
00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:24,520
This city is one of very few
in the entire country
476
00:33:24,520 --> 00:33:26,720
of the United States that was built
477
00:33:26,720 --> 00:33:29,120
{\an8}on a storybook, quite literally,
478
00:33:29,120 --> 00:33:32,040
{\an8}so it's inspiring
through and through.
479
00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:35,960
Alex Van Mecl began digging
into the extraordinary history
480
00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:40,600
of this region when he bought his
first home here in September 2021.
481
00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:43,760
It was very exciting
482
00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:47,720
and was the beginning
of a very long journey
483
00:33:47,720 --> 00:33:51,360
to uncover a lot about the city
that has, in some instances,
484
00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:53,600
never been seen or told before.
485
00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:58,880
This curious structure
was to be the beating heart
486
00:33:58,880 --> 00:34:02,880
of a grand vision to transform
this once-unpopulated area
487
00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:04,440
into a thriving city.
488
00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:07,560
The driving force behind it
489
00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:11,200
was American Renaissance man
Glenn H Curtiss.
490
00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:16,680
Curtiss was a pioneer
of American aviation
491
00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:19,520
and one
of the nation's wealthiest men.
492
00:34:19,520 --> 00:34:23,400
{\an8}He had helped develop the first
aircraft carrier for the US Navy
493
00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:25,240
{\an8}and built the first seaplane.
494
00:34:27,640 --> 00:34:30,440
While Curtiss was on holiday
in Florida,
495
00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:34,280
he recognised the money-making
potential of this area.
496
00:34:35,680 --> 00:34:37,880
{\an8}In the years after
the First World War,
497
00:34:37,880 --> 00:34:39,840
{\an8}Florida experienced a land boom.
498
00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:43,440
The number of skilled workers
in the country was rising,
499
00:34:43,440 --> 00:34:47,920
and they were benefiting from
higher wages and paid vacations.
500
00:34:49,200 --> 00:34:54,880
Suddenly, people had the resources
to travel and to buy vacation homes.
501
00:34:56,040 --> 00:34:58,400
Everybody had cars,
everyone had a Model T.
502
00:34:58,400 --> 00:35:01,360
They wanted to be in the sun,
and there was no better place
503
00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:03,840
{\an8}to go than Florida.
504
00:35:03,840 --> 00:35:08,200
Curtiss and his partners bought
17,000 acres of land,
505
00:35:08,200 --> 00:35:12,200
and Curtiss entered a new business -
real estate development.
506
00:35:12,200 --> 00:35:16,200
But he also wants to create
really unique, special communities,
507
00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:19,280
not just your run-of-the-mill
tract homes
508
00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:22,640
that normally dotted the landscape.
509
00:35:22,640 --> 00:35:26,120
Fortunately, there was a new craze
that was sweeping the nation
510
00:35:26,120 --> 00:35:30,160
and it would inspire
his next project, Opa-locka.
511
00:35:31,200 --> 00:35:34,680
Opa-locka was to be something
entirely unique,
512
00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:38,160
never before attempted
in the United States.
513
00:35:38,160 --> 00:35:42,120
It was a big gamble, based
on architecture and literature
514
00:35:42,120 --> 00:35:44,240
from the Islamic world.
515
00:35:44,240 --> 00:35:47,840
In 1925,
the architect Bernhardt Muller
516
00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:50,800
read the collection
of Middle Eastern folktales
517
00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:53,080
known as
The Thousand And One Nights.
518
00:35:53,080 --> 00:35:58,200
He was so inspired that he
relived it in his dreams that night.
519
00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:01,520
He soon came up with a vision
of a city
520
00:36:01,520 --> 00:36:05,960
built around the theme
and design of those stories.
521
00:36:05,960 --> 00:36:09,640
And in Curtiss, Muller
had a partner with the resources
522
00:36:09,640 --> 00:36:10,920
to make it happen.
523
00:36:11,960 --> 00:36:16,000
An advertisement that was placed
in the Miami Herald in 1926
524
00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:20,160
began with the words
"one thousand and one reasons".
525
00:36:21,600 --> 00:36:24,520
It encouraged investors
to get in on the ground floor
526
00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:26,880
of a never-to-be-repeated
opportunity.
527
00:36:29,240 --> 00:36:32,960
This administration building
was intended to be an icon
528
00:36:32,960 --> 00:36:35,240
of the city's success.
529
00:36:35,240 --> 00:36:39,360
The construction of this building
began in early 1926.
530
00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:42,760
It took approximately
seven months to construct.
531
00:36:42,760 --> 00:36:46,920
At that time, they estimated
the cost at $150,000.
532
00:36:48,040 --> 00:36:51,000
Its primary focus -
to sell the idea and dream
533
00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:54,240
of what it was to become
an Opa-lockan.
534
00:36:54,240 --> 00:36:57,560
This was to be a completely
self-sufficient community
535
00:36:57,560 --> 00:37:00,840
with its own airport, golf course,
536
00:37:00,840 --> 00:37:04,680
pools, parks, country club, zoo -
537
00:37:04,680 --> 00:37:07,080
all the things that make life fun.
538
00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:12,080
Muller personally approved
each and every design.
539
00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:16,600
He specified all the paint colours
and finishings to be used,
540
00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:19,760
and even suggested landscaping
around the buildings.
541
00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:26,000
In less than a year, over 30 homes
were built and residents moved in,
542
00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:30,200
while the rest of the city's
construction was still under way.
543
00:37:30,200 --> 00:37:34,040
Curtiss's ambitious risk
appeared to be paying off.
544
00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:39,520
But before the city could be
completed, Mother Nature interfered.
545
00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:45,480
In 1926, a massive hurricane
swept through the Miami area,
546
00:37:45,480 --> 00:37:49,120
and although it didn't really affect
Opa-locka,
547
00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:54,120
it affected Florida as a whole and
sent it into this economic tailspin.
548
00:37:55,960 --> 00:37:58,400
Florida's reputation
as heaven on earth
549
00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:00,800
was shattered in the wake
of the destruction.
550
00:38:02,840 --> 00:38:05,960
Suddenly, both investors
and new residents
551
00:38:05,960 --> 00:38:07,920
became harder and harder to find.
552
00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:12,160
But railways had helped
other planned communities
553
00:38:12,160 --> 00:38:13,960
in Florida prosper,
554
00:38:13,960 --> 00:38:18,120
and Curtiss was certain
a new train line coming in 1927
555
00:38:18,120 --> 00:38:19,880
would keep his vision alive.
556
00:38:21,120 --> 00:38:24,000
He also had one last trick
up his sleeve.
557
00:38:25,320 --> 00:38:29,680
When the first train arrived
on January 8th, 1927,
558
00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:32,200
the city decided to put on a show.
559
00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:34,480
On board was the governor
of the state,
560
00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:38,680
the president of the railway
and a host of other dignitaries.
561
00:38:38,680 --> 00:38:42,680
They were greeted by something
straight out of the movies -
562
00:38:42,680 --> 00:38:46,240
a representative of the company,
dressed as the Grand Vizier
563
00:38:46,240 --> 00:38:48,400
of the Empire of Opa-locka,
564
00:38:48,400 --> 00:38:51,520
charged on horseback
out of the administration building.
565
00:38:51,520 --> 00:38:55,520
He was flanked by others dressed
as Arabian horsemen
566
00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:59,160
who were racing out
to meet the Iron Horse.
567
00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:03,840
Homeowners from all across the city
joined in the celebrations.
568
00:39:03,840 --> 00:39:07,160
Nobody wanted to see
Opa-locka crash and burn.
569
00:39:08,880 --> 00:39:10,560
Most of the town had costumes
570
00:39:10,560 --> 00:39:13,200
that had been rented
from New York theatres,
571
00:39:13,200 --> 00:39:17,400
and the whole community put on
a show for visitors.
572
00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:21,200
Essentially, they got together
to commemorate the new beginning
573
00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:22,880
of what was to become
574
00:39:22,880 --> 00:39:27,240
this flourishing and very
extraordinarily designed community.
575
00:39:27,240 --> 00:39:29,520
The event was a big success,
576
00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:32,760
and newspapers gave it plenty
of coverage,
577
00:39:32,760 --> 00:39:36,360
all of which provided
great advertising for the city.
578
00:39:36,360 --> 00:39:40,400
These days, that type
of naked cultural appropriation
579
00:39:40,400 --> 00:39:42,520
would definitely be frowned upon,
580
00:39:42,520 --> 00:39:44,600
though there are certainly
outrageous stunts
581
00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:46,880
pulled by real estate developers
on a daily basis.
582
00:39:48,160 --> 00:39:52,600
The so-called Arabian fantasy may
have captured people's attention,
583
00:39:52,600 --> 00:39:56,440
but it failed to get them
to open their wallets.
584
00:39:56,440 --> 00:40:02,040
The future of Curtiss's $1.5 million
investment was uncertain.
585
00:40:02,040 --> 00:40:04,240
Less than two years later,
586
00:40:04,240 --> 00:40:08,280
the aspiring city was dealt
another devastating blow.
587
00:40:08,280 --> 00:40:11,240
In the wake of
the Wall Street crash,
588
00:40:11,240 --> 00:40:14,200
things really weren't looking good
for Opa-locka.
589
00:40:14,200 --> 00:40:17,960
Curtiss pulled out all the stops
to try and salvage his dream
590
00:40:17,960 --> 00:40:20,920
and save his city's
struggling residents.
591
00:40:22,040 --> 00:40:24,400
He helped pay
for people's landscaping,
592
00:40:24,400 --> 00:40:26,560
he started paying
people's mortgages.
593
00:40:26,560 --> 00:40:29,240
I think he had every reason
to believe that Opa-locka
594
00:40:29,240 --> 00:40:33,840
still could become as great,
as thriving as a Coral Gables
595
00:40:33,840 --> 00:40:37,360
or Miami Beach,
or even Palm Beach at that time.
596
00:40:38,480 --> 00:40:42,400
Curtiss was convinced the
development could continue expanding
597
00:40:42,400 --> 00:40:44,400
after the economy recovered.
598
00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:46,160
Fate disagreed.
599
00:40:47,320 --> 00:40:49,920
On the 23rd of July 1930,
600
00:40:49,920 --> 00:40:55,000
the aviation pioneer died suddenly
after an attack of appendicitis.
601
00:40:55,000 --> 00:40:58,960
The driving force behind Opa-locka
evaporated with him.
602
00:41:00,120 --> 00:41:01,760
It is my school of thought
603
00:41:01,760 --> 00:41:05,720
that Curtiss would very much
have stuck his vision through,
604
00:41:05,720 --> 00:41:08,400
and it still would have been
the fully built environment
605
00:41:08,400 --> 00:41:11,440
that he dreamed of it becoming
had he not passed away.
606
00:41:12,520 --> 00:41:15,720
In the years that followed,
the suburb declined
607
00:41:15,720 --> 00:41:19,320
beyond all recognition
and its crime rate soared.
608
00:41:19,320 --> 00:41:23,600
By 2009, the one-time centrepiece
of Opa-locka
609
00:41:23,600 --> 00:41:26,360
had been left to fall into ruin.
610
00:41:32,520 --> 00:41:39,000
John H Taylor Jr was elected mayor
of Opa-locka in 2022.
611
00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:41,600
The city he grew up in
was very different
612
00:41:41,600 --> 00:41:44,320
from the one originally envisioned.
613
00:41:44,320 --> 00:41:48,040
I'm 34 years old
and Opa-locka is all that I know.
614
00:41:48,040 --> 00:41:50,160
{\an8}During the early '70s,
615
00:41:50,160 --> 00:41:52,560
{\an8}'80s, '90s, early 2000s,
616
00:41:52,560 --> 00:41:56,760
they called us one of the top
murder capitals of South Florida.
617
00:41:56,760 --> 00:42:00,080
What was once an area that was
drug-infested, crime-ridden
618
00:42:00,080 --> 00:42:03,040
is not the same Opa-locka
that you see today.
619
00:42:03,040 --> 00:42:04,880
Our crime is down 30%.
620
00:42:05,960 --> 00:42:09,440
I wanted the community where
my daughter and my family can grow,
621
00:42:09,440 --> 00:42:11,520
live, play and be safe in.
622
00:42:12,920 --> 00:42:17,360
Today, Mayor Taylor hopes to finish
what Glenn H Curtiss started.
623
00:42:17,360 --> 00:42:19,720
We want it to be
a cultural arts centre.
624
00:42:19,720 --> 00:42:22,200
We want birthday parties here.
625
00:42:22,200 --> 00:42:24,520
We want you to make memories here.
626
00:42:24,520 --> 00:42:28,040
And by 2026, you won't be able
to recognise Opa-locka.
627
00:42:28,040 --> 00:42:30,960
We are waking this city back up.
628
00:42:57,760 --> 00:42:59,520
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