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I tweeted earlier about what I thought was an appallingly racist piece of reporting on @BBCWorldatOne.
It contrasted the supposedly lawful behaviour of people on crowded beaches the claim that "the smell of violence was in the air" at urban street parties.
(Thread. 1/)
It contrasted the supposedly lawful behaviour of people on crowded beaches the claim that "the smell of violence was in the air" at urban street parties.
(Thread. 1/)
The section on street parties followed an interview with @timloughton who called for a mixture of common sense and, in its absence, legal sanctions against people going to over crowded beaches. He cited the Coronavirus Act 2020 as providing the police with powers to do this. (2/)
The presenter (not sure at this point whether it was @JonnyDymond or @BBCMarkMardell) asked @DannyShawBBC) about whether there was a contrast between the policing at "largely white," overcrowded beached with that at street parties in Notting Hill and Brixton. (3/)
Unbelievably Mr Shaw then described the beach crowds as largely lawful while the atmosphere at street parties was, well, one of underlying/latent violence.
So far, so much casual racism. It gets considerably worse. (4/)
So far, so much casual racism. It gets considerably worse. (4/)
For one thing, Mr Shaw seemed to wholly ignore (or else be wholly unaware of) the contribution from Mr Loughton, MP for Worthing and his call for police to use relevant powers to, presumably, enforce the law. (5/)
But - given his journalistic brief as @BBCNews Home Correspondent, his reporting also suggested he was unaware of what happened yesterday at Bournemouth Pier (6/): https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/18544182.bournemouth-beach-three-stabbed-fight/
Or in Ogmore-by-sea (7): https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53186920
Or in Margate, Kent. Again: there was some other trouble last month, over the late May bank holiday. (8/) https://theisleofthanetnews.com/2020/06/25/police-called-to-large-brawl-on-margate-seafront/
Or, indeed, in Exmouth, Devon, where - and considering the reporting of the London street parties, this is most relevant, a police officer was assaulted. (9/) https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/more-violence-exmouth-beach-police-4265669
Now lest anyone think otherwise, the urban street parties are far from popular with everyone. Many residents affected by them wish they weren't happening.
Nor do I condone attacks on the police who are Covid 19 first responders no less than other emergency services.(10/)
Nor do I condone attacks on the police who are Covid 19 first responders no less than other emergency services.(10/)
But that's not the point. The presenter explicitly contrasted the ethnic composition of beach crowds with party goers, using the phrase "largely white". (Disclaimer: the WATO episode is not yet available to listen back to, so the quote may not be verbatim.) (11/)
That's when Mr Shaw decided to use some phrases that were, at least, massively questionable if not outright racist - suggesting party goers were looking for trouble, and that "the smell of violence was in the air."(12/)
This interview was a gross misrepresentation of what happened in multiple locations over recent days.
This is the usual BBC complaints page:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/contact/complaints but it is also worth bringing this to the WATO presenters' and editors attention, seeking an apology.(13/end)
This is the usual BBC complaints page:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/contact/complaints but it is also worth bringing this to the WATO presenters' and editors attention, seeking an apology.(13/end)
