BBC staff ‘blocked from march against antisemitism’

The Times: The BBC is facing criticism for allegedly prohibiting some of its Jewish employees from attending an anti-antisemitism march. The event, organized by the Campaign Against Antisemitism, is expected to be the largest British gathering against antisemitism since 1936 and is scheduled to take place at London’s Royal Courts of Justice. However, BBC staff in news, current affairs, and senior leadership roles who sought permission to attend have reportedly been denied, based on the BBC’s existing guidelines that discourage participation in public demonstrations about controversial issues. This has been the case for previous pro-Palestinian marches as well.

Some staff members have questioned why a march against antisemitism is considered contentious, arguing that the BBC’s stance appears inconsistent, especially when compared to its position on Pride parades in 2020, where staff were allowed to attend. Critics, including Leo Pearlman, co-founder of Fulwell 73, have accused the BBC of hypocrisy and bias. While one prominent BBC producer argued that attending a march against racism should not compromise impartiality, other journalists within the BBC felt the ban was appropriate to maintain impartiality. A BBC spokesperson stated that the corporation considers antisemitism abhorrent and has specific guidelines on staff participation in marches, which vary depending on the employee’s role within the BBC.

The entire article can be read at the link https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bbc-staff-blocked-from-march-against-antisemitism-68jwmjj9d