{"id":869468,"date":"2022-11-04T17:56:25","date_gmt":"2022-11-04T17:56:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/?p=1629494"},"modified":"2022-11-04T17:56:25","modified_gmt":"2022-11-04T17:56:25","slug":"bbc-reporter-faces-backlash-after-refugee-crisis-frontline-comments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2022\/11\/04\/bbc-reporter-faces-backlash-after-refugee-crisis-frontline-comments\/","title":{"rendered":"BBC reporter faces backlash after refugee crisis \u2018frontline\u2019 comments"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-beyondwords-player=\"true\" contenteditable=\"false\"><\/div><p>The <em>BBC<\/em> is facing an anti-racism backlash after one of its regional political reporters described the Tory government&#8217;s appalling response to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/trending\/2022\/11\/03\/migrant-solidarity-groups-are-protesting-against-inhumane-conditions-in-manston-detention-centre\/\"  rel=\"noopener\">the refugee crisis<\/a> as the UK &#8220;defending itself&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Michael Keohan is <em>BBC Kent<\/em>&#8216;s political reporter. And one section of a piece-to-camera in Dover seems to be generating serious problems for the <em>BBC<\/em>:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"jb7CSCN0Owhm7pwYT1g4EMBZfO3rlPoQ2GpQHhmi2qod3VLF95nFTnqetX1A8j6\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">A BBC reporter talking about the UK &#39;defending itself on the frontline against migrants&#39; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/IlOv99rIpH\">pic.twitter.com\/IlOv99rIpH<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; j (@jrc1921) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jrc1921\/status\/1588225813685510144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 3, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><em>BBC<\/em> racism?<\/h2>\n<p>Many Twitter users were shocked at what they felt was offensive language in the report. The <em>BBC<\/em> was accused of reporting that was &#8220;partial&#8221; and plainly &#8220;wrong&#8221;:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"seFmVqPZKWEz2UyAGBXFlZuz7jYx3GAnu1OLwkvtEepJvidaIslRStCRmMX88HUSILQV0Cr6pP\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BBCNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@BBCNews<\/a> This is partial, wrong (no invasion) and offensive. Some of us in Kent know that it\u2019s not illegal to claim asylum in Britain and that since Tories have closed all safer routes, these desperate souls have no other choice. Please have a word with <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/michaelkeohan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@michaelkeohan<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/UFu6WpGVsV\">https:\/\/t.co\/UFu6WpGVsV<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Militant Lambchop <img src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/270a-1f3fc.png\" alt=\"\u270a\ud83c\udffc\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/><img src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/1f499.png\" alt=\"\ud83d\udc99\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/> NHS <img src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/270a-1f3fc.png\" alt=\"\u270a\ud83c\udffc\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/><img src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/2764.png\" alt=\"\u2764\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/> BLM #StaySafe (@CurlyClareToo) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CurlyClareToo\/status\/1588483541662597122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 4, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The reportage was quickly branded &#8220;vile&#8221;:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"VCgZO0lwrdeLhsXnJf1xS9NaIuATiQcBpzHqmRGoFWbKE8YPU7yj6D3Mktv5\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">This is utterly vile from <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/michaelkeohan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@michaelkeohan<\/a> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BBCNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@BBCNews<\/a> do something about his language! <\/p>\n<p>h\/t <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/bitsofplastic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@bitsofplastic<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/PUjXuvjRSK\">https:\/\/t.co\/PUjXuvjRSK<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Martin Ballantine (@MartinPugwash) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MartinPugwash\/status\/1588479449217081345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 4, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Someone quipped that Keohan was the least racist person in Kent, on account of the county&#8217;s reputation as a Tory heartland:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"47jDFmnZq3ov6wg8ldNBR1k25sQMHyzPALIEtehVaCTGxXYuW0Sbfic9UJr\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Least racist guy from Kent <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/jvU3IT7HzQ\">https:\/\/t.co\/jvU3IT7HzQ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; from death to death transfigured (@BODY_W0_WHORGAN) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BODY_W0_WHORGAN\/status\/1588479765484290049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 4, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<p>There was also a suggestion that the &#8220;inflammatory language&#8221; helped shore up an &#8220;ailing&#8221; Suella Braverman:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"SCyjvqbOp02T9ztPiI1Jxhs4DV\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BBCNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@BBCNews<\/a> &#8211; is this helpful language? Seems rather more like appalling inflammatory language in support of an ailing Home Secretary. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/NSAjhS3Ljs\">https:\/\/t.co\/NSAjhS3Ljs<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Matthew Wade<img src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/1f499.png\" alt=\"\ud83d\udc99\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/> (@lomekian) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/lomekian\/status\/1588475477312032768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 4, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 data-offset-key=\"2eno1-0-0\"><em>BBC<\/em> decline<\/h2>\n<p>Others said the <em>BBC<\/em> has clearly lost its way as a public service broadcaster. Tories have long complained that the <em>BBC<\/em> is too left-wing. So, one person said that this kind of reporting was a result of the <em>BBC<\/em>&#8216;s efforts to avoid criticism:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"bezEy5dpPlg0jSL2M7JaQcn8s\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The constant framing of the BBC as &quot;left leaning&quot; is to push it toward openly fascistic broadcasting <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/sCleOfFqZj\">https:\/\/t.co\/sCleOfFqZj<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; 404 Name not found (@EMTPromises) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/EMTPromises\/status\/1588474604028579840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 4, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The <em>BBC<\/em>&#8216;s right-swing was serious enough to get global attention, one person lamented:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"GorLfVscbnEjlZRhtxIFaDdOwB8CN9k0vJ3Q\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">What happened to the BBC in the last decade is a story of global significance that doesn&#39;t get enough foreign attention.<\/p>\n<p>The public broadcaster that created the model is now this. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/zpTxSi9bWJ\">https:\/\/t.co\/zpTxSi9bWJ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Scott Mitchell (@s_mitchell) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/s_mitchell\/status\/1588472144643907584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 4, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<p>And the Beeb was accused of <em>Daily Mail<\/em>-level journalism which clearly veered into openly right-wing, partisan rhetoric:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"5Y4GHS076xtr\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">This is the kind of language I expect to see in the Daily Mail, NOT on the BBC. It is talk like this that perpetuates the racist rhetoric of the far right and normalises such abhorrent attitudes. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/epTAcyh6EW\">https:\/\/t.co\/epTAcyh6EW<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Colin Davidson (@ColinDavidson1) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ColinDavidson1\/status\/1588470770682179585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 4, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 data-offset-key=\"2l1lo-0-0\">Crisis of our own making<\/h2>\n<p>A\u00a0<em>BBC<\/em> reporter using this language is disturbing. Context is everything around topics as fraught as migration, as we saw recently with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/uk-england-kent-63473640\"  rel=\"noopener\">a terror attack<\/a> on a refugee detention centre in Dover.<\/p>\n<p>Anti-migrant feeling of this kind is first and foremost immoral. But it is also dangerous, potentially even lethal. And the state broadcaster, hardly a bastion of virtue at the best of times, covers itself in more shame by allowing this kind of coverage to go to air.<\/p>\n<p>More than that though, we need a media which explains that refugees and migrants are not invaders. They are in many cases, victims of the UK&#8217;s own policies &#8211; seeking safe haven from the world our own governments have made.<\/p>\n<p><em>Featured image <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/uk-england-kent-63473640\">via Twitter, cropped to 770 x 403<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>By <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/author\/joeglenton\/\">Joe Glenton<\/a><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"syndicated-attribution\">This post was originally published on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/trending\/2022\/11\/04\/bbc-reporter-faces-backlash-after-refugee-crisis-frontline-comments\/\">Canary<\/a>. <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The BBC is facing an anti-racism backlash after one of its regional political reporters described the Tory government\u2019s appalling response to the refugee crisis \u2026 <\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/trending\/2022\/11\/04\/bbc-reporter-faces-backlash-after-refugee-crisis-frontline-comments\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read more<\/a><\/div>\n<p>By <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/author\/joeglenton\/\">Joe Glenton<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1547,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2548,10463,36873,5651,784,238,5594,1395,204],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/869468"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1547"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=869468"}],"version-history":[{"count":58,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/869468\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":883643,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/869468\/revisions\/883643"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=869468"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=869468"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=869468"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}