BBC Vs Jody McIntyre

During the student demonstrations against the UK's tuition fees hike  in London last week news that a disabled participant had been dragged from his wheelchair by the London Metropolitan Police spread across Twitter like wild fire. However, I was initially sceptical that this had actually happened as in such cases rumours, both real and unsubstantiated can be retweeted by many who do not check upon their validity. Even the photograph that was cited as evidence of the attack was less than conclusive as it was open to a number of interpretations. However, in the age of cheap video technology and Youtube it was perhaps inevitable that footage of the incident would come to light.



As it turned the victim of the assault, Jody McIntyre, is an activist and journalist who has previously been interviewed by the Guardian and so there was a face and a history to go with the images of burly police officers wrestling McIntyre who has cerebal palsy to the ground during the protests. As disgraceful as their conduct was it did not the BBC's Ben Brown from accusing McIntyre of possibly provoking it by attacking the officer using his wheelchair? (no, I'm not making this up)

In what was an appalling piece of gutter journalism a disabled person who'd been assualted not once but twice by the police was called upon to defend himself from accusations by a presenter who has obviously confused his role as a journalist with that of London metropolitan Police's defence lawyer. It is a disgraceful piece of biased reporting that was handled skillfully by McIntyre who calmly and rationally argued the obvious that a person in a wheelchair who needs assistance to move around does not constitute a threat to hundreds of  police officers dressed in riot gear.

The BBC  interview is here.



Jody McIntyre's blog is here and you can follow him on Twitter here.

UK sponsors new ad campain following student demonstrations in London

"Charles, the peasants are revolting. Too right, darling. Have you seen the state of that one?"

The peasants are revolting. Too right, darling. Have you seen the state of that one?, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Prince Charles and Camilla caught in a candid moment following attack on royal vehicle by students in central London.

High school students in protest for more funding for education - Thessaloniki, Greece

High school students in protest for better schools - Thessaloniki, Greece, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Second Greek high school student shot.

According to reports on the Greek Skai channel a second high school student, Kostas Paplomatas has been shot in the Peristeri district of Athens. The teen was hit in the wrist at 11pm Thursday while outside his school according to his father. For more details in Greek click here, and for a Google translation click here.

According to the official police report the attack was probably carried out using an air pistol, however, the student's father said in an interview on Skai Radio that other students had heard two gun shots. Papamatas is currently recovering after being operated on earler today. Doctors have removed a 20mm shell which was given to the police for investigation

Nationwide demonstrations are planned for today in order to protest the death of 15 year old Alexandros Grigropoulos by a police officer in the Exarchia district of central Athens

Student demonstration

Student demonstration, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

The students were protesting lack of funding for the Fine Arts department of the university of Thessaloniki near Kamara today.

Students demonstrations

Pictures from the Demonstration by TEI (technical institutes) over lack of funding for their branch of higher education and education in general in Greece. Often these places are seen by the government as a cheap dumping ground for young people wishing to study beyond high school. they lack facilities and the staff are paid abysmally (and often even that pittance is delayed for months on end).

See here and here for reports in Greek.