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BBC in hot water over 'England car flag' experiment in Scotland

Police are investigating a World Cup-related item on BBC Two's Newsnight, over claims that it incited racial hatred in Scotland.

The item, in which a group of youths in Glasgow were secretly filmed trashing a car bedecked with English flags, is already the subject of an early day motion from Scottish MPs condemning it in the House of Commons.


[...]The Newsnight feature on 30 June, which was apparently intended as a light-hearted expos矯n anti-English feeling in Scotland during the World Cup, saw reporter Tim Samuels driving a Vauxhall Astra bearing a giant St George's Cross and smaller flags through Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The car was left parked in the Gallowgate area of Glasgow's crimeridden East End.

Within minutes, a gang of youths was filmed ripping off the flags, throwing bricks through the windows and kicking in the windscreen.
The full story

Personally I find this light hearted and funny as fuck. I can't really believe Scottish MPs are accusing Newsnight of 'inciting racial hatred'.

Er... if some people have such visceral hatred of England in Scotland that's their problem. A car decorated with England flags is not in itself an incitement to fucking anything... even in the heart of Scotland. Yes, it perhaps amounts to baiting but so what?

Does anyone think the BBC was inciting 'racial hatred'? :confused:
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Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Aladdin wrote:
    Er... if some people have such visceral hatred of England in Scotland that's their problem. A car decorated with England flags is not in itself an incitement to fucking anything... even in the heart of Scotland. Yes, it perhaps amounts to baiting but so what?

    Does anyone think the BBC was inciting 'racial hatred'? :confused:

    Racial hatred - no.

    Not quite sure what the point of the report was though.

    The area if Glasgow that the car was left in (about a 10 minute walk from my flat) is one of the shittiest areas in Scotland. I'd imagine there's a high rate of car crime there anyway, so it's not really inidctive of anything, really.

    Like I say, you'd get the same thing if you parked a car covered in Portugese stuff in a shitty area of London.

    I'm so glad the BBC aren't pissing away the licence fee on irrelevant shite, yanno?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Nope, not inciting racism at all, though i think the way the Scottish MP's are reacting shows why they have been a subjugated people for so long and only by been granted independance have the got it back to its extent so far...i mean seriously...GET OVER IT SCOTLAND! You lost, we won, we beat you, now we are bored and giving it all back, take it out on us at football, not that you can win that either.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    No it's not inciting racial hatred. And if the BBC gets in trouble for this, then surely Channel 5 should get in trouble for Swag as well. Anyone remember that? That was hilarious.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    subject13 wrote:
    i mean seriously...GET OVER IT SCOTLAND! You lost, we won, we beat you, now we are bored and giving it all back, take it out on us at football, not that you can win that either.

    Oh dear.

    I do wonder how that translates in Portugese. Or German. Or Argentinian.

    There was a follow up debate on this on Newsnight, with Paxman and some vile woman from the Daily Mail. They really didn't let the guy from the SNP get a word in, and the tone of the whole thing was pretty nasty.

    When did you beat us, btw?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    subject13 wrote:
    Nope, not inciting racism at all, though i think the way the Scottish MP's are reacting shows why they have been a subjugated people for so long and only by been granted independance have the got it back to its extent so far...i mean seriously...GET OVER IT SCOTLAND! You lost, we won, we beat you, now we are bored and giving it all back, take it out on us at football, not that you can win that either.

    Tee hee.

    Mountains and molehills spring to mind in terms of the item.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well, we conquered your nation and made it a mere offshoot of Britain did we not? Your clans were beaten, and British rule imposed over you thus defeating you. The Scots lost.

    Also, the other footballing nations can beat us when they do...Scotland just cant right now.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    briggi wrote:
    Tee hee.

    Mountains and molehills spring to mind in terms of the item.

    Yes yes, i know, but come on...its Scotland...its only like laughing at the Welsh ;)

    lmao, i jest
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    Bri-namite wrote:
    I do wonder how that translates in Portugese. Or German. Or Argentinian.

    That would mean more if you actually were from any of those places but you not. :lol:
    Bri-namite wrote:
    When did you beat us, btw?

    At everything save for tossing the caber maybe.
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  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    subject13 wrote:
    Well, we conquered your nation and made it a mere offshoot of Britain did we not? Your clans were beaten, and British rule imposed over you thus defeating you. The Scots lost.

    Well actually the King of Scotland became the King of Britain.
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  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    subject13 wrote:
    Well, we conquered your nation and made it a mere offshoot of Britain did we not? Your clans were beaten, and British rule imposed over you thus defeating you. The Scots lost.


    No.

    ETA: As for the story, it's the Scottish politican version of shouting "IMMIGRATION" in some parts of England.

    Easy, button pushing moron votes.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    subject13 wrote:
    Well, we conquered your nation and made it a mere offshoot of Britain did we not? Your clans were beaten, and British rule imposed over you thus defeating you. The Scots lost.

    What the fuck has that to do with anything?

    A gang on Scottish neds kicked in an England car that was specifically planted to get a reaction, and the same would happen if a similarly styled Portugese car was planted in a council estate in Birmingham.
    subject13 wrote:
    Also, the other footballing nations can beat us when they do...Scotland just cant right now.

    As far as I'm aware, we beat you the last time we played you.

    How do you want us to beat you "right now" when we haven't played you in six years?

    I'd appreciate an answer to that.
    Skive wrote:
    That would mean more if you actually were from any of those places but you not.

    Mate, I've seen a lot more threads and posts about how English people hate Ronaldo/Argie refs/cheating Germans over the last few weeks tahan I've seen about how Scottish people don't like the English.

    It's a lot more vitriolic too. Scottish people died in WWII aswell, do we go marching about in helmets whenever we play the Germans?

    It's all banter to me, but a lot of the stuff England fans spout about other countries goes beyond that IMO.
    Skive wrote:
    At everything save for tossing the caber maybe.

    Did we not beat you the last time we played you at football? Rugby? Tennis? Better golfers? Better snooker players?

    Not bad for a country a fraction of the size...;)

    This isn't the point anyway, point is if a Portugese style car was planted in the middle of an English council estate, then exactly the same would happen.
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    Bri-namite wrote:
    if a Portugese style car was planted in the middle of an English council estate, then exactly the same would happen.

    I don't think it would.
    There are a large number of cars on the road here in England that display the Scottish and Welsh flag and I have never heard any of any of them being vandalised.
    Bri-namite wrote:
    It's all banter to me, but a lot of the stuff England fans spout about other countries goes beyond that IMO.

    I think you'll find that you Scotts have a far bigger problem with us than we do with you. And the same thing can be said of the Welsh too.

    I can understand why your fellow countrymen might feel a bit sore though - us being better than you and all that.
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  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Skive wrote:
    I can understand why your fellow countrymen might feel a bit sore though - us being better than you and all that.
    Keep stirring.:p
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Skive wrote:
    I don't think it would.

    Like I say, it happened in possibly the scummiest area in Scotland at the height of the World Cup.

    You really saying if you put a Portugese styled car in one of the scummiest areas in England on the Saturday night you got knocked out, then it wouldn't be touched?

    All any of this showed is that chavs will kick a car in, especially if it's decked in the colours of a rival country at the height of the World Cup.
    Skive wrote:
    I can understand why your fellow countrymen might feel a bit sore though - us being better than you and all that.

    Could just as easily have been said to you by a Portugese, a German or an Argentinian.

    I think Scotland could give England a game anyway. We did come within 20 minutes of beating the World Champions in qualifying, whatever that shows.

    Dude, I can't be arsed having this debate again. We're never going to agree.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Skive wrote:
    I can understand why your fellow countrymen might feel a bit sore though - us being better than you and all that.
    :lol: Hell yeah, way to not be inflamitory and look for common ground!;)
  • Teh_GerbilTeh_Gerbil Posts: 13,332 Born on Earth, Raised by The Mix
    No it's not inciting racial hatred. And if the BBC gets in trouble for this, then surely Channel 5 should get in trouble for Swag as well. Anyone remember that? That was hilarious.

    Exactally.

    There is obviously a deep set problem if the Scotts feel this way about us. Personally, I like the Scotts and have found ones I have met friendly enough.

    Obviously I shouldn't meet some others though :o
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    Bri-namite wrote:
    Like I say, it happened in possibly the scummiest area in Scotland at the height of the World Cup.

    You really saying if you put a Portugese styled car in one of the scummiest areas in England on the Saturday night you got knocked out, then it wouldn't be touched?

    All any of this showed is that chavs will kick a car in, especially if it's decked in the colours of a rival country at the height of the World Cup.

    I didn't hear of any violent acts against the Portuguese community in London after we were knocked out. I remember hearing about some decent English being done over north of the border though...

    Bri-namite wrote:
    Could just as easily have been said to you by a Portugese, a German or an Argentinian.

    I wasn't talking about football actually, I was just saying that, in general, we're better than you. I'd be misrable if I was Scottish too.
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  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Teh_Gerbil wrote:
    Exactally.

    There is obviously a deep set problem if the Scotts feel this way about us. Personally, I like the Scotts and have found ones I have met friendly enough.

    Obviously I shouldn't meet some others though :o
    far as I can tell this isnt about Scots and English, it's about parking your car with symboles from a sports team in an area where you shouldn't park your damn car. Same thing would happen here if you painted your car Green and Yellow (the local colleges colors) then drove it onto the campus at Washington University. Hell, ya do it during a football game and you might not even get a chance to park first.
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    far as I can tell this isnt about Scots and English, it's about parking your car with symboles from a sports team in an area where you shouldn't park your damn car. Same thing would happen here if you painted your car Green and Yellow (the local colleges colors) then drove it onto the campus at Washington University. Hell, ya do it during a football game and you might not even get a chance to park first.

    To be fair the same thing would happen if you parked you car with a Southampton badge in Portsmouth. Fucking skates.
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  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Skive wrote:
    I didn't hear of any violent acts against the Portuguese community in London after we were knocked out. I remember hearing about some decent English being done over north of the border though...

    Nothing to do with proportionally there a fuckload more England shirts in Scotland, than Portugese ones in England?

    Attacks like that aren't justified, although I sure as fuck wouldn't walk anywhere in England with a Portugese/German/Argentinian/Scottish top on, because if I got my head panned in then I'd know why it was.
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    Bri-namite wrote:
    Attacks like that aren't justified, although I sure as fuck wouldn't walk anywhere in England with a Portugese/German/Argentinian/Scottish top on, because if I got my head panned in then I'd know why it was.

    Yeah that's right, they deserved it.
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  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Skive wrote:
    Yeah that's right, they deserved it.
    Bri-namite wrote:
    Attacks like that aren't justified

    *sigh*

    I'm not going to wear a Scotland top in England. Just like I'm not going to wear an Aberdeen top in Glasgow. Or a Southampton top in Portsmouth. Or a Rangers top in a Celtic area.

    For the simple reason that I'm not going to risk getting my head kicked in. If I did, I wouldn't deserve it, but I'd know why it happened if it did.

    But yeah, no point in going in circles.
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    Bri-namite wrote:
    I'm not going to wear a Scotland top in England. Just like I'm not going to wear an Aberdeen top in Glasgow. Or a Southampton top in Portsmouth. Or a Rangers top in a Celtic area.

    I don't think it's quite the same. Scotland just aint good enough for us to be rivals.
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  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Skive wrote:
    I wasn't talking about football actually, I was just saying that, in general, we're better than you. I'd be misrable if I was Scottish too.

    No.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Scotland is just England Junior.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I have just come back from a weeks holiday in Portugal and i have to say i disagree with the idea that a car decked in portugal colours would get battered in England.

    slightly on a tangent here i understand but, i sat and watched the Portugal V France game in a Portugeuse bar, the bar was full of portugeuse people sporting their colours and French people sporting theirs. The only time any thing got a bit 'rowdy' was when this scottish couple turned round to the French people sat next to me and said (and i quote) 'Just sit down you stupid Frogs'. - Now i dont want to get into this debate over whos better England or Scotland - however the other English people in the bar (apart from booing Ronaldo) didnt do anything, we were all laughing and joking with the Portugeuse and French - the only people who were not happy and were if anything incenting racial hatred is the Scots.

    I know this hasnt really got anything to do with the original point. Apologies for this!

    Now i cant speak for all the Scots in the world but combined with the news a car decked in English colours gets wrecked by Scottish kids in Scotland and with personal experience that a Scottish couple had a go at a group of French people i would say that the Scots seem a country more likely to hate another country.

    Not to mention that father and son who got beaten in Scotland for sporting an England shirt. - I am of the belief that you should be allowed to wear your own colours no matter where you are and not have to worry about getting a kicking or what ever.

    Apologies to those who are going to rip this post apart i aint trying to get involved in all the England Vs Scotland BLAH! I appreciate that England probably does have its rough parts where people probably do get a kicking for wearing the wrong footy shirt, but i just think that is totally wrong.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Most violent country in the world. You can't argue with statistics.;)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Skive wrote:
    I didn't hear of any violent acts against the Portuguese community in London after we were knocked out. I remember hearing about some decent English being done over north of the border though...

    Not exactly the same scenario (though possibly worse). Of course, once again it's a one-off as far as I'm aware, so it'd be daft to make judgements about every England/Scotland fan on the basis of any of these stories.

    As for the residual hatred/resentment/jealousy/whatever we're calling it, there are pockets of it everywhere... England, Scotland, Wales and so on. I don't think it really reflects anything other than the attitudes of the consistent minority of idiots to be honest.

    Love thy neighbour :thumb:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    So poor weegies are cretins...tell me something new.

    Obviously the BBC is having to resort to that sort of shite because they're skint after issuing those bonuses.

    Time for Auntie to close down.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Mind blowing. Truly mind blowing.
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