Student says 'Free Palestine' & 'BBC is complicit' to BBC reporter asking about A-level results

A student unveiling his A-level examination results live on Aug. 14 (UK time) in Liverpool, England was asked by a BBC reporter for his thoughts.

In a 15-second clip that has since been widely circulated on social media, the student interviewed at Liverpool City College said:

"So, on that note I just wanna say, 'Free Palestine, end the genocide and the BBC's complicit."

Reporter cut him off

In response, the interviewer interjected and directed him back to the topic of his A-Level results, even as the student repeatedly said "the BBC is complicit".

"We're here to talk about A-level results today... Gaza [is] a whole different subject," the interviewer said.

The clip has apparently been taken down from BBC's official platforms.

Second time that day

Aug. 14 was the A-level results release day for students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, which was met with extensive media coverage.

Earlier the same day, a caller from Manchester was cut off by a host on BBC Radio 2 as she was making a similar "BBC complicit in genocide" comment during a segment on tips for giving wedding speeches.

"Oh, okay, not about wedding speeches at all. Cut that one off there because I've no idea what else they were going to say," the host said, as reported by The National.

Background

U.K. national broadcaster BBC has faced criticism in various circles for allegedly having a pro-Israel slant in its coverage of Israel's military action in Gaza.

In November 2024, more than 100 BBC staff signed a letter to BBC's director general Tim Davie, and CEO Deborah Turness, accusing the broadcaster of giving Israel favourable coverage in its reporting on the war in Gaza, Al Jazeera reported.

“The consequences of inadequate coverage are significant. Every television report, article and radio interview that has failed to robustly challenge Israeli claims has systematically dehumanised Palestinians,” the letter said.

In February, a BBC documentary about children's lives in Gaza was pulled from the broadcaster's iPlayer streaming service after it was found that its 13-year-old narrator was the son of a Hamas official.

The broadcaster has faced condemnation for the documentary, "Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone", from pro-Israel lobby groups, British newspapers and the government, The Guardian reported.

BBC said it had found "serious flaws" in the documentary, adding that it had not been informed by the production company in advance of the teenager's family connections.

In June, BBC shelved another documentary, "Gaza: Doctors Under Attack", which reportedly depicts the targeting, detainment and torture of medics in Gaza, over "impartiality concerns".

The U.K.'s Centre for Media Monitoring, which seeks to promote the fair and responsible reporting of Muslims and Islam, published a report that found the BBC gave Israeli deaths 33 times more coverage per fatality, despite Gaza suffering 34 times more casualties than Israel.

Top image from @agtprpnabsrdty/X