News / Palestine
Dozens protest BBC Israel-Palestine coverage outside Bristol HQ
Dozens of people gathered outside BBC Bristol’s headquarters on Saturday to protest its reporting of the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Protesters argue the BBC has been biased in its reporting of the conflict, and has been silent in its reporting of the ongoing protests in Bristol.
The BBC has been criticised by both sides for its reporting on Gaza, and was criticised by the government for not using the word “terrorist” to describe the militant group, Hamas.
is needed now More than ever
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On Monday the Guardian reported that the broadcaster had received 1,500 complaints over its coverage of Israel-Hamas, with complaints split almost evenly between those claiming its reporting has been biased against Israel and those saying it is biased against Palestinians.
Signs with the words “BBC complicit in genocide”, “This is not conflict, this is genocide” and “BBC stop spreading lies” were held by protesters as they shouted chants of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and “Israel state, terrorist state.”
The protest outside BBC Bristol was organised by Rana Basharat Ali Khan, a human rights advocate and leader of the Bristol for Palestine group.
He said the protest should serve as a “resounding call” for the BBC to “cease its alleged misinformation and accurately report on the devastating consequences of the conflict in Palestine.”
Addressing the crowd, Khan said: “We have set up protest camps outside the Bristol BBC building before, and if they don’t correct their reporting by the end of October, we will reoccupy the BBC building in November.
“The protest will persist until a public apology is issued for what we perceive as dishonest, dirty, disgusting, and false news.”
He warned that there would be continued protests outside the BBC Bristol studio if the broadcaster did not take action to change its coverage by the end of October.
In 2014, protesters from Bristol Friends of Gaza set up camp outside the BBC’s Bristol studios, before being moved by police after two weeks at the site.
A number of protests were held across the UK on Saturday outside various BBC studios up and down the country.
There have been a number of pro-Palestine rallies over the week, including a vigil which was held at Cascade Steps on Friday evening, and a protest outside the University of Bristol on Wednesday.
Main photo: Rob Browne
Read next:
- Bristol religious leaders call for swift and peaceful end to Israel-Palestine conflict
- ‘You cannot be silent in a time like this’
- BBC Bristol staff strike over planned cuts to local radio
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