A senior BBC executive sent an email expressing solidarity with non-British staff and condemning “hatred” following unrest in Northern Ireland in reaction to an attempted beheading.
The email, revealed by this Substack, was sent to BBC workers in June after riots broke out in Belfast following an alleged attempt by an African illegal migrant to behead Northern Ireland-born Stephen Ogilvie.
Jack Whyte, the BBC’s Chief Technology Officer, wrote that he wished to “express our solidarity with colleagues who may feel particularly vulnerable or fearful at this time, including those who have come to Northern Ireland and the UK from other countries.”
Whyte condemned “hatred, intimidation, and violence in all its forms” and said the BBC is “committed to fostering an environment where every colleague feels supported, included, and able to bring their whole self to work”.
The email came after Hadi Alodid, a 30-year-old from Africa, allegedly stabbed Stephen Ogilvie multiple times, leaving him without a left eye and with deep cuts to his head, face and back.
A source inside the broadcaster said: “The BBC offered solidarity to foreign staff but not to native Brits who might be worried about illegal migrants beheading them.”
