ƒmWe, the undersigned, believe that giving uncritical coverage of fascists by the BBC and other media outlets is wrong, dangerous and diminishes political debate in Britain. We call on the BBC, as a key democratic institution, to refuse to allow violent political views to be broadcast unchallenged.
The BBC and other national broadcasters and press publications have to reflect seriously upon their responsibilities particularly at this time. Is it compatible with democracy for news editors to remain neutral on giving racist agitators a platform to justify their political views to millions of people? Should they form no opinion on allowing their outlets to act as a recruiting sergeant for violent racists?
BBC News – Manchester African-Caribbean community centre closed after racist threat
We accept that the BBC should not be “banning” particular views from being aired. We want racist and other views based on hatred to be consistently challenged and countered whenever they are aired. Choosing to give fascists a platform is not a neutral act, each time a fascist is allowed to speak without challenge, racists are emboldened to carry out their violent agenda. We have seen this in West London and Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire and across the UK in recent days.
The BBC recognises that DAESH or Al-Qaeda because of their violent beliefs and means should not be allowed to portray their arguments without critical comment. This principle should be consistently applied to fascists. We believe that racism is not a legitimate part of democratic debate. Those who organise to destroy the lives of people of colour and migrants cannot be quietly listened to. We all have a responsibility to stop racists and we believe as a democratic society, we cannot allow those who despise these values to use the BBC as a rallying cry.
Freedom of speech means allowing individuals to express themselves. Freedom of speech does not mean all views are equally valid, some views are inherently anti-democratic and broadcasters have an important responsibility to point this out.
We cannot stand aside while racists use our democratic institutions to victimise and terrorise migrant communities and British people of all backgrounds.
The names below were collected in just under 72 hours last week, please add your name to the comments below if you agree with the open letter and wish to make your voice heard to the BBC
25.07.16 Update: The BBC replied to the open letter, see screenshot below or link here
Samantha Asumadu
Justin Baidoo
Jude Wanga
Petra Davis
Rupinder Kaur
Kiri Kankhwende
Chimene Suleyman
Rohail Ahmad
Zoe Samudzi
Minna Salami
Joy Goh-Mah
Zoe Stavri
Jamal Mehmood
Onyeka Igwe
Sunny Singh
Tina Gharavi
London Campaign against Police and State Violence
Pragna Patel Director of Southall Black Sisters
Claire Heuchan
Adam Elliott-Cooper
Owen Hatherley
Lucy Michael
Adunni Adams
Judith Amanthis
Remi Joseph-Salisbury
Malcolm Richards
Imran Arif
Marie Thompson
Kadra Abdinasir
Lacara Barnes-Rowe
Diane Leedham
Dawn Foster
Lawrence Davies
Bridget Byrne
Huw Lemmey
James Bu
Jay Springett
Jules Holroyd
Daniel Trilling
Liz Harvey Kattou
Hilary Aked
Robert Beckford
Sarah Reed
Susie Symes
Yasminah Beebeejaun
Rebecca Draper
Robert Armen Kazandjian
Anna Coatman
Isabel Soto
Grace Mansah-Owusu
Martyn Reed
Ada Mau
Amirah Iqbal
Ronald Kuykendall
Lisa Newton
Alex Denney
Hannah Walker
Eric Olund
Lauren Simpson
Philip Moore
Julia Schönheit
Joseph Guthrie
Michael Washington
Jemma Desai
Ornette D Clennon
Amrit Wilson
Sophie Mayer
Samm Haillay
Shane Thomas
Jess Chandler
Kesiena Boom
Zita Holbourne
Black Activists Rising Against cuts, BARAC UK
Ashley Clark
Victoria Redclift
David Osa Amadasun
Isabel Stevens
Kavita Bhanot
Gavin McGregor
Jacqui Davies
Melanie Richter-Montpetit
Radha Patel
Sarah Nwafor
Joseph Brooks
Sally Mumby-Croft
Derek Oakley
David Bell
Marika Roset
William Twyman
Marie Thompson
Katy Collins
Brenna Bhandar
Alberto Toscano
Nottingham Solidarity Federation
Dezzie Dimbitsara
GJagdish Patel
The Monitoring Group
Maurice Mcleod
Daniel York
Samira Sawlan
Line Langebek
Sujata Aurora
Maya Goodfellow
Elhum Shakerifar
Llion robertse
Manish Agarwal
Sarah Wishart
Sarah Robinson
Joseph Middleton-Welling
Jane Clifford
Philip Unciano
Abdul-Azim Ahmed
Isobel Bowditch
Nicholas Middleton
Dr Shazad Amin, MEND
Guilaine Kinouani
Preti Taneja
Maria Lehmden
Kandace Chimbiri
Kathryn Medien
Stephanie Phillips
Nazmia Jamal
Geraldine Lee-Treweek
Huma Munshi
Ania Ostrowska
Liz Trafford-Owen
Nic Wistreich
Gavin Booth
Kalpana Wilson
Agata Pyzik
Siana Bangura & Team No Fly on the WALL
Dhanveer Singh Brar
Matthew Kieran
Daniel O’Rourke
Marika Sherwood
Nazia Mirza
Ben Crowe
Howell Williams
Patrick McManus
Daniel Mackenzie
Rochelle Rowe
Thomas Barlow
Kam Sandhu
Hope Dickson Leach
Lydia Crudge
Holly Tarquini
Joe Glenton
Morgan Quaintance
Sarah Hurson
Elaine Swan
Shemi Leira
Mark Boothroyd
Sarah Pett
Frances Grahl
David Wearing
Andrew Leedham
Musab Younis
Nick Bradshaw
Alex Ramon
Niall Martin
John Faulkner
Parvathi Raman
Ashley Thompson
Navtej Purewa
Elisa Van Waeyenbergel
Emily Skye
Jendella Benson
Kate Oakley
Sidra Foster
Hicham Yezza
Brianna Walker
Kate Harrison
Muneeza Inam
Marlene Ellis
Isaac Eloi
Tony Warner
Karen Wilkes
Feyzi Ismail
Lars Peter Laamann (SOAS, University of London)
Elaheh Rostami-Povey
Diane Middleton
Caroline Leonard
Vera Chok
Merle Cady
Gargi Bhattacharyya
Lisa Palmer
Golnaz Hossieni
Alessandra Mezzadri
Daniel Allington
Miranda Brawn
Arzu Merali
Eulette Ewart
Media Diversified 
Leave a comment