Newspapers urged to curb 'shameful' racism and xenophobia about migrants
An article by Katie Hopkins for the Sun newspaper that called migrants ‘cockroaches’ has been likened to Nazi hate speech by a human rights chief at the United Nations.
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the piece published on Friday, April 17, after hundreds of migrants drowned on their way to Europe, was an example of the racism and xenophobia common in the British press.
“The Nazi media described people their masters wanted to eliminate as rats and cockroaches,” he said.
“This type of language is clearly inflammatory and unacceptable, especially in a national newspaper.
“The Sun’s editors took an editorial decision to publish this article, and – if it is found in breach of the law – should be held responsible along with the author.”
Katie Hopkins’s piece argued gunboats should be used to prevent migrants sailing to Europe, adding that her sympathy lay with British truck drivers rather than the migrants who died. She wrote:
“Make no mistake, these migrants are like cockroaches. They might look a bit ‘Bob Geldof’s Ethiopia circa 1984’, but they are built to survive a nuclear bomb. They are survivors.”
The article received an avalanche of public criticism amid the ongoing debate over how to respond to migrant deaths at sea.
Mr Hussein was responding to the Society of Black Lawyers’ reporting the Sun to the Met police over alleged incitement to racial hatred.
He said: “While migration and refugee issues are completely valid topics for public debate, it is imperative that migration policy decisions that affect people’s lives and fundamental human rights should be made on the basis of fact – not fiction, exaggeration or blatant xenophobia.
“History has shown us time and again the dangers of demonizing foreigners and minorities, and it is extraordinary and deeply shameful to see these types of tactics being used in a variety of countries, simply because racism and xenophobia are so easy to arouse in order to win votes or sell newspapers.”
Adam Barnett is a staff writer at Left Foot Forward. Follow MediaWatch on Twitter
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40 Responses to “UN human rights chief likens Katie Hopkins ‘cockroaches’ piece to Nazi hate speech”
Robert
Do not confuse him now….
Robert
She said what she said for a reason, god knows what that reason is. But if she had stated that it is wrong for these people to cross into the EU to expect then for the EU to allow them to stay.
An opinion which can be debated spoken about is fine what she said of course was totally Katie, she is a moron at best.
jaz
The thing about Ms. Hopkins, like all other controversialists, is that they are trapped on a ratchet. Everything they say has to be more controversial than the last lest they will be accused of going soft – and what use is a limp controversialist? Of course the best thing to do with people like her is to treat her like a toddler that is showing off, just ignore her. Without the oxygen of publicity Ms. Hopkins will wither and return to whatever she did before. Maybe she will take up gardening?
jargee
I think that every one of the thousands upon thousands of foreigners that are banged up in our jails and which such printed issues as The Voice tend to decry as a sadness for Caribbeans and Africans, should be immediately released—they are neglecting their duty to enrich British society and its a disgrace!
No paedostanis need apply for that freedom–we don’t want enriching that effing much!!
Cole
And you think it’s just fine for a national ‘newspaper’ to print an article using the same language as that used by the Nazis and Rwandan killers?