Tim Davie has said that the BBC has been alerted to “antisemitic behaviour” in an email sent out to staff.
In the internal note, Davie said that there was “no place at the BBC for racist abuse of any kind” including antisemitism, Islamophobia or racism.
It comes after the broadcaster received a number of complaints about its reporting of the Israel-Hamas war, particularly towards its attitude towards the Jewish community.
In the letter, Davie wrote: “As an organisation, we must stand united against any form of abuse, prejudice or intolerance.
Tim Davie sent an internal email around the BBC, stating that the broadcaster had been alerted to ‘antisemitic behaviour’
PA
“As many of you may have seen, sadly in recent weeks we have been alerted to some antisemitic behaviour by people who worked with us.
“I want to be clear that there can be no place at the BBC for racist abuse of any kind, whether towards our Jewish colleagues or indeed colleagues from any background or belief.
“Any form of antisemitism, Islamophobia or racist abuse is abhorrent, and we will always act whenever it occurs.
“We must play our role to build understanding and tolerance.”
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Tim Davie, the BBC director-general, wrote: ‘As an organisation, we must stand united against any form of abuse, prejudice or intolerance’
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His email comes after Dawn Queva, a scheduling coordinator at BBC Three, described Jewish people as “Nazi parasites” that funded a “holohoax” in a series of social media posts.
Queva, who has since been sacked, repeatedly attacked white people, branding them a “virus” and “mutant invader species”.
The BBC has also come under fire for their refusal to label Hamas a terror organisation.
Most recently, the broadcaster was criticised earlier this week for airing episodes of The Apprentice starring former NHS doctor Asif Munaf who allegedly made antisemitic comments on social media.
Munaf said he apologised for “any offence caused by my online content/social media” but denied allegations of antisemitism.
The BBC has also come under fire for their refusal to label Hamas a terror organisation
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Last month, at least 22 BBC staff filed formal complaints about the broadcaster’s culture, adding that concerns about antisemitism are “met with indifference or a shrug by management”.
In response to the email from Davie, former director of BBC Television Danny Cohen said in a statement: “The director general has at last acknowledged that the BBC has a problem with antisemitism.
“The evidence is irrefutable. It has taken months too long for this acknowledgement to happen.”
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism welcomed the email from Davie but described it as “long-overdue”.
They added: “We will have to judge the Corporation by its actions, not its words.”
Source Agencies
