BBC reportedly bars staff from attending major march against antisemitism in London: 'Controversial'

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BBC employees were reportedly instructed not to attend an upcoming march against antisemitism in London this weekend.

According to U.K. outlet The Times, the upcoming National Solidarity March Against Antisemitism was deemed too "controversial" for the network’s employees — even its Jewish ones — to attend. 

BBC employees, including reporters and senior management, alleged that the network would not let them attend the upcoming rally. The march "is set to be the largest demonstration in support of British Jews since the 1936 Battle of Cable Street," according to Campaign Against Antisemitism, the group organizing the event.

The outlet reported that BBC employees looking to attend pro-Palestinian rallies had been barred from attending those as well.

According to staff members, the decision to prohibit their attendance at the rally is in line with BBC guidelines regarding any "controversial march or demonstration."

As the BBC reported in 2020, the network established guidelines mandating that staff members should not "express a personal opinion on matters of public policy, politics, or controversial subjects," which covered attendance at rallies.

However, in response to employees at the time seeking attendance at various pro-LGBTQ rallies, BBC Director General Tim Davie clarified that "there is no issue for these staff attending community events that are clearly celebratory or commemorative and do not compromise perceptions of their impartiality." 

Several employees disagreed with the BBC standard applied to the march against antisemitism as compared to the standard applied to LGBTQ or antiracist marches in the past.