Post by Teddy Bear on Jun 15, 2010 19:09:03 GMT
As soon as I saw this article in the Daily Mail today, I was curious to see how the BBC would cover it, if they did at all.
Here's the headline from the Mail:
Muslim protesters brand war heroes 'murderers' as homecoming parade turns violent
And here's the BBC distortion:
Soldiers heckled during homecoming parade in Barking
Naturally on the BBC article you won't even find out that the 'hecklers' are Muslims until quite a way into it, and certainly no mention of any violence. After all, everybody knows that Muslims are peaceful beings, why else would they be 'heckling' soldiers?
Check the websites directly and compare too the pictures shown by the Mail, and that shown by the BBC of the event.
Here's the Mail article first - then compare it to the BBC's. I think you'll agree it's a little more than 'heckling'.
And the BBC
Here's the headline from the Mail:
Muslim protesters brand war heroes 'murderers' as homecoming parade turns violent
And here's the BBC distortion:
Soldiers heckled during homecoming parade in Barking
Naturally on the BBC article you won't even find out that the 'hecklers' are Muslims until quite a way into it, and certainly no mention of any violence. After all, everybody knows that Muslims are peaceful beings, why else would they be 'heckling' soldiers?
Check the websites directly and compare too the pictures shown by the Mail, and that shown by the BBC of the event.
Here's the Mail article first - then compare it to the BBC's. I think you'll agree it's a little more than 'heckling'.
Muslim protesters brand war heroes 'murderers' as homecoming parade turns violent
A group of extremist Muslims prompted violent clashes at a homecoming parade for British troops today after they heckled soldiers and called them 'murderers.'
Members of the Muslim Against the Crusade group clashed with far right protesters as they shouted 'murderers, murderers, murderers' and 'British troops go to hell' as members of the 1st Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment paraded down the streets of Barking, Essex.
The chants were drowned out by a large mob on the opposite side of the street who retaliated with jeers of 'Traitors' to the Muslim protesters.
The Muslim protesters shouted 'murderers' as troops from the Royal Anglian Regiment paraded through Barking
The Muslim protesters shouted 'murderers' as troops from the Royal Anglian Regiment paraded through Barking
The hour-long parade had been delayed due to growing tensions between the two sides, with anti-Mac protestors singing God Save the Queen and drinkers at a nearby pub hurling frozen pork sausages at the Muslims.
Moments after the soldiers passed through tensions reached boiling point and the anti-Mac campaigners broke through the barricades, charged across the road and traded punches with the Muslim throng.
Police quickly separated the mob, with one man wrestled to the ground, handcuffed and led away while the police made a ring surrounding the Muslim group.
They then had to hold back the anti-Muslim group as the Mac protesters made their way to a tube station.
Two men were arrested after the violence, for public order offences.
Local woman Dee McEvoy, 50, stood in front of the Muslims protesters, waving her two union Jack flags as the soldiers passed.
She said: 'I'm here for the army and the British forces. The protesters are entitled to their opinion but they are taking it out on the wrong people. They should be taking it out on the Government.
'This is not the reception these boys and girls deserve. But it is democracy in action.' Earlier the Muslim group was attacked by a barrage of eggs.
Police lead away the protesters from the Muslim Against the Crusade Group as they face jeers from English Defence League members
Police lead away the protesters from the Muslim Against the Crusade Group as they face jeers from English Defence League members
The homecoming ceremony was delayed by an hour after opposing protesters hurled insults and far right protesters hurled frozen sausages at the Muslim group
The homecoming ceremony was delayed by an hour after far right protesters hurled frozen sausages at the Muslim group
One member of the Mac group used a megaphone to shout: 'This is a protest against parading in a Muslim area. We love death the way you love life.'
He branded British soldiers as 'butchers' and 'despots'.
The Muslim protesters chanted 'Democracy' as they had an uneasy stand-off against a mob, some waving St George's Crosses, Union flags and an English Defence League flag.
Anti-Mac protesters sang 'I'll be English 'till my dying day,' and jeered 'We pay your benefits'.
Further down the street onlookers, who had arrived simply to pay their respects to the soldiers, were disgusted by the scenes.
The girlfriend of a Royal Anglian soldier killed in Afghanistan said the extremists should have been banned from attending the parade.
Lance Corporal Scott Hardy, 26, from Chelmsford in Essex, was killed in an explosion near Musa Qala on Tuesday March 16, just weeks before he was due to return home.
Two men were arrested after police intervened during the violent clashes
Lance Corporal Hardy's partner Charlene Byrne, 24, said: 'It's absolutely disgusting. I know this kind of thing has happened before in Luton but I don't understand how it has been allowed to happened again.
'It's terrible that this group has got away with it. Obviously not everyone supports what's happening in Afghanistan, there are people who are very angry about it, but they shouldn't take it out on the soldiers.'
Emily Penson-Clark, who took the day off work to support the soldiers with her young daughter and parents said: 'I think the protesters are filth. I'm here to support our troops. They put their lives on the line for us. I've got three words: Help for Heroes.'
The soldiers remained undaunted by the abuse, and marched through the town centre with fixed bayonets, accompanied by the Minden Band, a Colour Party and two guards of 70 officers and non-commisioned officers.
The Freedom parade stopped briefly in Barking Town Square where the Mayor, Councillor Nirmal Singh Gill, General Sir John McColl and the Queen's deputy Lieutenant Major Anthony O'Hagan took a salute and inspected the troops.
A group of extremist Muslims prompted violent clashes at a homecoming parade for British troops today after they heckled soldiers and called them 'murderers.'
Members of the Muslim Against the Crusade group clashed with far right protesters as they shouted 'murderers, murderers, murderers' and 'British troops go to hell' as members of the 1st Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment paraded down the streets of Barking, Essex.
The chants were drowned out by a large mob on the opposite side of the street who retaliated with jeers of 'Traitors' to the Muslim protesters.
The Muslim protesters shouted 'murderers' as troops from the Royal Anglian Regiment paraded through Barking
The Muslim protesters shouted 'murderers' as troops from the Royal Anglian Regiment paraded through Barking
The hour-long parade had been delayed due to growing tensions between the two sides, with anti-Mac protestors singing God Save the Queen and drinkers at a nearby pub hurling frozen pork sausages at the Muslims.
Moments after the soldiers passed through tensions reached boiling point and the anti-Mac campaigners broke through the barricades, charged across the road and traded punches with the Muslim throng.
Police quickly separated the mob, with one man wrestled to the ground, handcuffed and led away while the police made a ring surrounding the Muslim group.
They then had to hold back the anti-Muslim group as the Mac protesters made their way to a tube station.
Two men were arrested after the violence, for public order offences.
Local woman Dee McEvoy, 50, stood in front of the Muslims protesters, waving her two union Jack flags as the soldiers passed.
She said: 'I'm here for the army and the British forces. The protesters are entitled to their opinion but they are taking it out on the wrong people. They should be taking it out on the Government.
'This is not the reception these boys and girls deserve. But it is democracy in action.' Earlier the Muslim group was attacked by a barrage of eggs.
Police lead away the protesters from the Muslim Against the Crusade Group as they face jeers from English Defence League members
Police lead away the protesters from the Muslim Against the Crusade Group as they face jeers from English Defence League members
The homecoming ceremony was delayed by an hour after opposing protesters hurled insults and far right protesters hurled frozen sausages at the Muslim group
The homecoming ceremony was delayed by an hour after far right protesters hurled frozen sausages at the Muslim group
One member of the Mac group used a megaphone to shout: 'This is a protest against parading in a Muslim area. We love death the way you love life.'
He branded British soldiers as 'butchers' and 'despots'.
The Muslim protesters chanted 'Democracy' as they had an uneasy stand-off against a mob, some waving St George's Crosses, Union flags and an English Defence League flag.
Anti-Mac protesters sang 'I'll be English 'till my dying day,' and jeered 'We pay your benefits'.
Further down the street onlookers, who had arrived simply to pay their respects to the soldiers, were disgusted by the scenes.
The girlfriend of a Royal Anglian soldier killed in Afghanistan said the extremists should have been banned from attending the parade.
Lance Corporal Scott Hardy, 26, from Chelmsford in Essex, was killed in an explosion near Musa Qala on Tuesday March 16, just weeks before he was due to return home.
Two men were arrested after police intervened during the violent clashes
Lance Corporal Hardy's partner Charlene Byrne, 24, said: 'It's absolutely disgusting. I know this kind of thing has happened before in Luton but I don't understand how it has been allowed to happened again.
'It's terrible that this group has got away with it. Obviously not everyone supports what's happening in Afghanistan, there are people who are very angry about it, but they shouldn't take it out on the soldiers.'
Emily Penson-Clark, who took the day off work to support the soldiers with her young daughter and parents said: 'I think the protesters are filth. I'm here to support our troops. They put their lives on the line for us. I've got three words: Help for Heroes.'
The soldiers remained undaunted by the abuse, and marched through the town centre with fixed bayonets, accompanied by the Minden Band, a Colour Party and two guards of 70 officers and non-commisioned officers.
The Freedom parade stopped briefly in Barking Town Square where the Mayor, Councillor Nirmal Singh Gill, General Sir John McColl and the Queen's deputy Lieutenant Major Anthony O'Hagan took a salute and inspected the troops.
And the BBC
Soldiers heckled during homecoming parade in Barking
Soldiers returning from Afghanistan have been heckled during a homecoming parade in east London.
A group of protesters gathered in Barking town centre as members of the 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment marched through the streets.
The demonstrators also brandished placards opposing the war.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said two people had been arrested for public order offences.
One witness said: "There were about 25 to 50 Muslim protesters carrying placards with things like 'Muslims Against Crusades' and 'British Soldiers Go To Hell'.
"Then there was a counter-protest of about 100 guys barracking them."
Barking and Dagenham councillor Liam Smith said the march was unaffected by the protest.
He said: "I'm glad the actions of a vocal minority failed to spoil what was a proud day in the borough's history and one we will remember for all the right reasons in years to come.
"The Royal Anglians are our local regiment. We are proud of them and the difficult and dangerous job they do, and as today's turnout for the parade showed, so are the people of Barking and Dagenham."
Muslim anti-war protesters attempted to disrupt another parade in March last year when soldiers from the 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, known as The Poachers, paraded in Luton town centre.
Soldiers returning from Afghanistan have been heckled during a homecoming parade in east London.
A group of protesters gathered in Barking town centre as members of the 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment marched through the streets.
The demonstrators also brandished placards opposing the war.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said two people had been arrested for public order offences.
One witness said: "There were about 25 to 50 Muslim protesters carrying placards with things like 'Muslims Against Crusades' and 'British Soldiers Go To Hell'.
"Then there was a counter-protest of about 100 guys barracking them."
Barking and Dagenham councillor Liam Smith said the march was unaffected by the protest.
He said: "I'm glad the actions of a vocal minority failed to spoil what was a proud day in the borough's history and one we will remember for all the right reasons in years to come.
"The Royal Anglians are our local regiment. We are proud of them and the difficult and dangerous job they do, and as today's turnout for the parade showed, so are the people of Barking and Dagenham."
Muslim anti-war protesters attempted to disrupt another parade in March last year when soldiers from the 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, known as The Poachers, paraded in Luton town centre.
