Reporters, who needs em?

[Thingy]

I was watching todays (Westminster attack) unfold on the news and cannot believe some of the stuff I saw. I dont mean the attack itself, I think we would all accept its a matter of when, not if, an attack would occur. But two specific incidents left me speechless.

The first was footage of a poor guy laying injured in the middle of the bridge roadway, and as a couple of good samaritans approached to help, one woman ran into the picture, smart coat, high heels looking every bit the city office worker and hovered over the poor guy filming his agony with a mobile phone. Praise to the guy in light blue that pushed her away and told her where to go.

The second was the reporter who described the PM's exit from Westminster. He clearly explained how she had a secret emergency exit and then went on to describe how she came out of the rear of the estate, in a special silver Jaguar and turned in the direction of Vauxhall. Next time, they will know where to wait.

 

[crazyguider]

I have to say I was unimpressed by the two 'Chinesey' looking people who followed an injured European woman to the ambulance and stood watching her being loaded in! They may well have helped her, and if that's the case I apologise, but they did nothing to show that, they just gawped - ghouls.

 

[otherclive]

Like on the lunchtime news when Sophie Rayworth asked that as the perpetrator was on the security service radar why wasn't he stopped!

 

[camel]

I'm afraid in my opinion the BBC and Channel 4 are just left wing organisations that will try and discredit the Police the Military, M15, M16, GCHQ , who is responsible for recruiting to these media organisations, more than likely some secret Masonic club set in the bowels of a deep cellar of a crappy old pub in Cambridge or Oxford and they all do silly things to each other like dressing up in pig skins wearing suspenders and stockings and blowing bubbles at each other, does this sound like your local MP, :lol: :lol:

 

[Parksy]

I'm afraid in my opinion the BBC and Channel 4 are just left wing organisations that will try and discredit the Police the Military, M15, M16, GCHQ , who is responsible for recruiting to these media organisations, more than likely some secret Masonic club set in the bowels of a deep cellar of a crappy old pub in Cambridge or Oxford and they all do silly things to each other like dressing up in pig skins wearing suspenders and stockings and blowing bubbles at each other, does this sound like your local MP, :lol: :lol:

No but I know people who'd pay good money for that sort of thing :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[ProfJohnL]

I cannot express enough how saddened I am at the atrocity committed at Westminster on Wednesday and at the other locations where the "so called Islamic State" and other terrorist groups have claimed responsibility.

My deepest sympathies go to the injured and their relatives and friends and of course for those who have lost someone.

There will always be a debate about how to report such events, I do agree the event was of national importance, as it seems to have been an attack aimed at our democratic way of life, but it is my opinion the BBC coverage on this occasion was far too broken up, with repeated sound bites from reporters and interviews with people who had not actually witnessed anything of the event itself but had merely been caught up with police's lock down in the area. It quickly became tedious and the continued coverage gave no new information to me.

It is serious matter when a policeman is killed in the execution of his duty to protect the public, but in this instance I feel this point was laboured and rendered the injuries and loss of civilian lives to be almost a second class issue. All loss of life is a matter to be treated with respect.

On the face of it, the police response was swift, especially when you consider the circumstances of an unremarkable car being driven normally until it's driven at a group of pedestrians and a knife wielding person crashes it and get out etc.

Of course we would like to be able to prevent all such terrorist attacks, but realistically to do so would mean many of our accepted freedoms would have to be removed.

 

[saint-spoon]

I must agree with you all on the reporting of this terrible even, sensationalist speculation. One of the BBC reporters stated that the injured French students hads come here to escape the horrors of the paris attacks, that made my blood boil, it was an outright fabrication made to sensationalise the story. Of course what terror organisations crave more than anything is publicity, and thanks to our media they are getting in bucketloads.

Got to agree about how left wing the BBC has become, they were speculating about it being a lone madman and any other group or organisation but refused to say the “M” word.

Two days before they were all waxing lyrical about what a great person another known terrorist was.

 

[Thingy]

Two days before they were all waxing lyrical about what a great person another known terrorist was.

You can probably guess by my avatar where I stand on this one.

Unfortunately the press will always seek and thive on sensationalism, standards of moderation and decorum go out of the window when selling newspapers is all that matters to them. Repeatedley stating that lone wolf low tech attacks are impossible to stop will only serve to encourage those who may be considering it.

In my minds eye, I had the horrible feling that though horrific the attack was, it was a prelude to something bigger. The old tactic of sucking in the rescuers prior to a second strike, aka Warren point. Thank goodness I was wrong.

Reverting to my original topic, I really think it about time that the act of sensationally filming somebody in distress was made a criminal act.

Like on the lunchtime news when Sophie Rayworth asked that as the perpetrator was on the security service radar why wasn't he stopped!

And somebody should have just turned to her and said "How?". Bet she wouldnt have had an intelligent answer.

 

[JamesH]

I think I'm right in saying that there was no armed police officer detailed to permanently guard the entrance that MP's were using to register their vote at the time of the attack. The police officer who shot the attacker just happened to be there because his job was to guard the cabinet minister he was accompanying at the time.
Surely every entrance to the Palace of Westminster should have an armed officer on duty at all times, even at the tradesman's entrances.

 

[Thingy]

Couldnt agree more. Perhaps with the changing security climate and enhanced threat levels it is time to revisit the debate on arming the police permanently. Maybe too the army could add this to their ceremonial duties.

 

[camel]

Thingy, I doubt if some folk on here have ever heard of Warren point when we had all the troubles over the water (that's another story), if I was someone today wanting to join any Police force in this country, I would say can I be armed please and can I have support with the old 37 mil rubber round (plastic bullet) I'am sick of all the bollocks about British Bobbies being unarmed, for god sake get thosee Cavalry regiments off their backsides and patrol with a bit of Amour round our great Capital,

 

[Parksy]

Camel
I'm sure that you have strong feelings about recent events and I've no wish to prevent forum members from posting expressions of sympathy for the victims.
There's a long standing convention on this forum that we remain polite, anyone can look at this forum including children.
I've removed the previous comment because of the adult language.
Please remember that this forum represents the online voice of Practical Caravan readers.