GB ‘free speech’ News had an ironic response to its presenter taking the knee – 11 favourite reactions
Since its mid-June launch, right-leaning free-speech TV channel GB News has been an evolving shambles, with technical glitches, presenters falling for Simpson’s-style comedy name pranks and plummeting ratings.
It recently ran into an unexpected controversy, when presenter Guto Harri shared his respect for the principle of taking the knee against racism – and did it live on air, causing a rash of furious tweets from viewers.
This is what caused the outrage.
“Those people” are upset and threatening to quit watching their fave anti-woke channel, gbnews because presenter Guto Harri took the knee in 45 second segment. Imagine wanting to be fed hate 24/7.
— Empress Firecracker (@EFirecracker) July 13, 2021
GB News deleted their link to the clip, and posted this three-tweet statement.
They didn’t clarify whether Harri still has a job there.
GB News spokesperson unable to say if Guto Harri, the former Boris Johnson spokesperson who took the knee on air in solidarity with England football team, is still going to have a job following backlash from furious viewers who feel channel has gone woke. https://t.co/Vbf0wJ7p46
— Jim Waterson (@jimwaterson) July 15, 2021
These reactions have it covered.
1.
So you can literally praise Nazis on media outlets that @afneil chairs without breaching 'standards'. But you can't take a knee. Wow. https://t.co/zw9hm9xUFx
— James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) July 15, 2021
2.
Welcome to the freedom of speech channel where freedom of speech is our highest priority apart from when it's stuff we don't like. https://t.co/4j4mtZqgpB
— TechnicallyRon (@TechnicallyRon) July 15, 2021
3.
No one was watching, don't worry about it https://t.co/gWu6tLWO56
— Ellie Mae O'Hagan (@elliemaeohagan) July 15, 2021
4.
And we go live to the free speech channel… https://t.co/Hq1ylDcvBg
— Liam Thorp (@LiamThorpECHO) July 15, 2021
5.
In the preceding tweet they say ‘we do not have a company line on taking the knee’ so if you don’t have a company line, how is it ‘an unacceptable breach’ of your standards? https://t.co/WLTfVJXo6N
— Dr Fern Riddell (@FernRiddell) July 15, 2021
6.
Am (free) speechless
— Anne Alexander (@Annemariealex) July 15, 2021
7.
https://t.co/5ltan4JPff pic.twitter.com/QcStFC5PsX
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) July 15, 2021
8.
Wondering if in between these two tweets the GB News feed person had some kind of funny turn. pic.twitter.com/OkqS9xBzW4
— David Baddiel (@Baddiel) July 15, 2021
9.
You need to specify what standards exactly were breached here, GB News.
Give us chapter and verse from your standards guidelines, pls.
You haven’t done so here. It looks like you just don’t like free speech when it doesn’t go your way.
This tweet is a huge self-own. https://t.co/fPN5Dr6KQi
— Dr Mike Galsworthy (@mikegalsworthy) July 15, 2021
10.
Anti-racism gestures made in solidarity with an abused English national football team are an unacceptable breach of GB News standards, got it.
— Danny Wallace (@dannywallace) July 15, 2021
11.
think everyone is surprised that #GBNews turned out to be a comedy channel
— dave ❄️ 🥕 🧻 (@davemacladd) July 15, 2021
Sun Apologies made this point.
In fairness, anyone who's seen GB News will be shocked to know it had standards to breach. https://t.co/CGSSFl1eDA
— The Sun Apologies (@SunApology) July 15, 2021
READ MORE
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Source GB News Image Screengrab
