(JTA) — Ahead of what could be the largest British gathering against antisemitism in nearly 90 years, Jewish journalists at the BBC say the corporation’s rules prohibit them from marching this weekend.
Multiple journalists at the BBC who sought permission to march in the London demonstration organized by the Campaign Against Antisemitism on Sunday told the British press they were referred to the company’s “impartiality rules.”
According to those rules, editorial, current affairs and some other staff “should not participate in public demonstrations or gatherings about controversial issues.”
Jewish journalists who pressed back have argued that protesting against discrimination should not be considered a political or controversial issue. They told their supervisors that “racism is racism,” the Telegraph reported, and that if the BBC disapproves of racism, its employees should be allowed to demonstrate against it.
jta.org/2023/11/24/global/ahead-of-historic-uk-rally-against-antisemitism-bbc-journalists-complain-that-they-are-barred-from-marching