Undercover Mosque programme cleared of charges.

[Big Les]

An update on the recent to-do over an expose documentary aired some months ago here in the UK and showing some of the quite shocking extremist nonsense being preached in some UK mosques.

West Midlands Police initially investigated the people featured in the programme, and found insufficient evidence to prosecute any of them for stirring up racial hatred etc. So what did they do? They pressed charges against the programme makers instead, for unfavourably editing certain people's comments. The Crown Prosecution Service told them to naff off, so they took it to the OFCOM television watchdog/standards organisation, who have now also told them to naff off.

What the hell were the police thinking, trying to censure journalism in this way? They obviously thought they were doing the right thing, but I can't see that they were. If you've seen the documentary, you'll know that at least some of the comments would have been offensive pretty much regardless of editing or context. If you haven't, here it is.

 

[Lucky]

The Crown Prosecution Service told them to naff off

That's not quite right, as the police and the CPS issued a joint (libellous) statement accusing the programme makers of dishonest editing (though the CPS advised against prosecution).

Further update here.

West Midlands Police and the CPS have been publicly humiliated as a result of Channel 4's libel proceedings. They have had to apologise to the programme makers, and pay them £100,000 in damages and costs.

Good to see loathsome, contemptible, cringing political correctness get itself a severe smack in the mouth – doesn't happen often enough.

Let's hope heads will roll.

 

[Big Les]

A reply! Better late than never

I join you in your hope...

 

[Lucky]

West Midlands Police initially investigated the people featured in the programme, and found insufficient evidence to prosecute any of them for stirring up racial hatred etc.

Of course, the same West Midlands Police 'found' that the nasty racist/islamophobic programme makers had misrepresented the views of the poor innocent clerics.

From the statement of Channel 4's deputy head of news and current affairs, following the Ofcom ruling:

All the preachers featured were offered a right to reply and none of these individuals complained to Ofcom about the way they were represented. In these circumstances it seems perverse that [the production company] Hardcash and Channel 4 should have found themselves the subject of a police investigation.

West Midlands police acted in a calculated fashion - they made no attempt to discuss their concerns about the film with us in advance of going public with their complaint to Ofcom knowing that an allegation of 'fakery' would generate significant media interest.

In the view of various commentators, their action gave legitimacy to people preaching a message of hate to British citizens and damaged the reputations of those involved in producing and broadcasting the programme.

So, will the public servants responsible for this disgraceful action be brought to book?

What I find most frightening about the whole bizarre episode is not so much the stupidity (or worse) of the individuals involved, but the fact that they were so confident they'd get away with it. They wouldn't give in even when Ofcom trashed their complaint and they were threatened with a libel action. Says a lot about the power and extent of the institutionalised PC that is threatening our freedom of speech.

 

[Big Les]

I heard the C4 guy on Radio 4 earlier - he was still none the wiser as to why the police had done it, nor felt so confident about it. He said that the evidence they submitted as to the alleged misleading editing showed a "woeful lack of understanding of the journalistic process". He did mention a multicultural community committee/group of some kind being involved, hinting that the police might have been acting out of fear of repercussions in the community. No excuse whatever in my opinion.

I'm pleased they've been forced to shut up, pay up, and apologise. The police can't be allowed to interfere to this extent without reasonable suspicion, based on evidence.