Complaint
The programme included a discussion about the right to protest, in the context of ongoing pro-Palestinian demonstrations, during which the presenter suggested the UK Jewish community might feel intimidated by such demonstrations, citing a recent instance which had taken place at Liverpool Street Station. A viewer complained that it was misleading to have omitted the information that the demonstration in question had been organised in part by Jewish groups, and to imply that the UK Jewish community would be uniform in its response. The ECU considered the complaint in the light of the BBC’s editorial standards of accuracy.
Outcome
The presenter said:
Well let’s show you these pictures. Liverpool Street station. A large number – I have to say I don’t know how many, but thousands – in a sit-in in Liverpool Street station. They are calling for a ceasefire, but many in the Jewish community – or the Jewish community, maybe as a whole – feels very intimidated by this sort of crowd chanting “ceasefire” or other marches “Free Palestine”. Do they go too far?
In the ECU’s view, the fact that Jewish groups had been among the organisers of the demonstration was immaterial to its likely impact on the UK Jewish community, while the presenter’s use of “many” and “maybe” ensured that her remarks fell short of ascribing unanimity to the community.
Not Upheld