“Was he on your radar? Do you know about his links to gangs?”
These were the questions the two journalists from Panorama asked
us. I work at a small community centre in South Manchester. It has been an
understandably difficult week for our local area after the bombing: police
raids, controlled explosions, helicopters and drones, rumours and hearsay. Then
there’s the press who have swarmed our neighbourhoods, demanding answers to
questions that it’s not their place to ask.
On Thursday these two BBC journos dropped by uninvited,
insisting on an audience with our youth work co-ordinator. He’d already said
that he didn’t want to speak to the press and, besides, he was in a meeting. But
they wouldn’t take no for an answer. They felt entitled to camp out in our
reception until we dished enough dirt to satisfy them. When we pointed out that
it wasn’t our priority to help the press to once again smear our community, they
reacted dismissively: “we’re not the red tops just looking for a sensational
quote. We’re making a proper documentary about the bomber.” Quite.
The first question to ask is: if you’re making a “proper”
documentary, why is it going out on Monday evening, less than a week after the
bombing? If you’re going to take a considered look at how a young man could do
something like this, why the hurry?
And the second question: if you’re going to treat South
Manchester fairly, why come right out with a question about gangs?
We kicked them out.
Trying to make sense of this tragedy is crucial, but it’s a
long-term process. The news-cycle is short: even if the press ask relevant
questions they’re not going to stick around for the answers. I can’t imagine
Monday’s documentary will draw any useful conclusions. The community here is
still coming to terms with what has happened – how can these outsiders, working
to a deadline, make any sense of the situation?
The press aren’t really interested in the truth. They want broad
emotions and simple narratives. On Thursday morning I visited St. Ann’s Square to
see the floral tributes that have been appearing since the bombing. I was
foolish enough to think I could have a moment of quiet reflection. Instead I
found the memorial entirely surrounded by news crews from every corner of the
globe. You couldn’t approach the sea of tributes without walking in to
somebody’s shot. I noticed a few individuals stood nervously at the edge of the
square clutching flowers, clearly needing to mourn… just not in view of the
whole world.
There’s no journalistic reason why a piece to camera three
days after the bombing had to be done here. What’s wrong with, say, Albert
Square? The gothic Town Hall makes a beautiful backdrop, whilst Manchester’s
citizens could be left to grieve in peace. But no, these journalists – all of
them! – decided to depict Manchester in mourning because that’s what sells. Our
city’s pain reduced to a commodity. Twenty two dead and scores injured, but
journalists have a job to do. It’s all business and it’s got fuck-all to do
with truth.
And if those two BBC clowns are anything to go by, you can
be sure that’s what you’ll see if you tune in to Panorama tonight. The tired
racist clichés about South Manchester that have been selling papers for
decades. Guns and gangs, disaffected youth and dangerous streets – now with the
added spice of terrorism. This isn’t about examining the complexity of how
something like this happens. It’s about cashing in before you have to roll on
to the next tragedy. When we do start to make sense of it all, you can be sure the
media circus will no longer be in sight.
A lot has been said this week about cuts to police numbers
but other questions are going unasked. Why have so many of our community
resources been lost in the last few years? In March we were shocked by the
sudden closure of Ladybarn Community Centre, a move the council is refusing to
explain. Last year Hulme lost its Aquarius Centre. Millions of pounds have been
slashed from council youth budgets. The national press have been eager to report
on the bomber’s alleged links to gang violence, but what about the brutal economic
war that has been waged on our city in recent years? At the end of the day,
complex stories obviously don’t sell.
