Police are investigating abuse of England’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty. This follows video footage appearing showing him accosted by two men in a park.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is “shocked at seeing the despicable harassment” of one of his top advisers.
The video shows two men grabbing hold of Prof Whitty as they laugh and jeer, and he struggles to free himself. The incident happened on Sunday morning in St James’s Park in London.
The Metropolitan Police say they have spoken to everyone involved.
The PM tweeted that he condemned the behaviour “of these thugs”. He says, “Our hard-working public servants should not have to face this kind of intimidation on our streets and we will not tolerate it”.
New Health Secretary Sajid Javid also condemned the incident, describing it as “appalling and totally unacceptable”. He adds that the chief medical officer “works tirelessly on behalf of the country”, and “the men behaving in this disgraceful way should be ashamed”.
Although the actions may appear non-violent, it is obvious that Prof Whitty was feeling uncomfortable and resisting.
Public figures “are human beings”
People must remember that public figures are still human beings, and need treating as such.
However, this is not the first time Prof Whitty is caught on camera in a confrontation with a member of the public. Earlier this month, a man in Oxford accused the chief medical officer of lying about coronavirus. A man also accosted him outside Westminster in February.
Meanwhile, the Met Police issued a statement saying they are aware of shared video footage online showing an incident in St James’s Park. They add that officers spoke to everyone involved at the time and took their details. The police remain in contact with the victim, and continue to investigate the situation.
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, Prof Whitty played a key role in the UK’s response to the crisis. He regularly appears on television alongside the prime minister at Covid briefings.
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