Complaint
This edition of the programme contained an item about disturbances during 鈥淜ill the Bill鈥 protests (against what became the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022) in Bristol. 聽A viewer argued it was inappropriate to feature a police appeal for information given criticism of the police handling of the event. The ECU considered whether the piece met the 大象传媒鈥檚 editorial standards of accuracy and impartiality. 聽
Outcome
The programme contained an account of the events of 21 March 2021 according to which a peaceful protest starting in College Green in Bristol had turned into a riot around the police station in Bridewell Street. 聽Footage of the events viewed by the ECU suggests this was a fair characterisation of what happened and it was clear the actions of some included violence, damage to vehicles and property, and arson. 聽Some of those charged were found not guilty or the charges dropped ,but others were convicted of riot and other offences.
Crimewatch鈥檚 format is well-established and involves police forces setting out information they are looking for in connection with allegedly criminal behaviour.聽 It is not a news programme and this did not purport to be an in-depth investigation into the disturbances. 聽In the ECU鈥檚 view the extent to which such a programme might mislead audiences or where impartiality might require it to explore other perspectives had to be considered accordingly.
Criticism of police actions and the perspectives of those protesting on this and the subsequent days was covered elsewhere on the 大象传媒. 聽The ECU appreciated the complainant had concerns about the need to distinguish between legitimate protestors and others, but in the ECU鈥檚 view the way the events were described was sufficient to ensure viewers understood the majority of those demonstrating did so peacefully and without incident.
The guilt or innocence of those featured, or the extent to which their actions were justified or had been incited, would be for the courts to decide, and the ECU expected viewers understood this. 聽It was not asserted anyone featured was guilty, but only that police wanted to identify them. 聽More information on the criticisms of the police actions in Bristol would have given viewers a fuller understanding of events 鈥 but the programme did not set out to give an account of every aspect of the protests and riots, only the specific matters which related to a call for information on alleged offences.
Given that focus and the nature of the programme the ECU did not see the need for a right of reply from those accused, or more broadly from people who would criticise the police actions. 聽The 大象传媒鈥檚 commitment to impartiality is not absolute; it recognises 鈥渇undamental democratic principles鈥. 聽That would include respecting the right to protest 鈥 but wouldn鈥檛 for instance, require the inclusion of views arguing in support of causing criminal damage, or that engaging in arson was justified.
Not Upheld