"By writing “‘directly involved’ in the conflict between Hamas and Israel,” you not only undermine how these companies fund Israel’s genocide in Gaza, but you put on equal footing that Israel and Hamas are benefiting from these companies when that is not true. Israel is the only one that has been supplied by these companies."
April 16, 2024
To:
Elton Hobson, National Managing Editor, Online Video, Global News
Rishma Govani, Director of Communications News & Radio, Global News
Dear Elton Hobson and Rishma Govani,
I am writing to express my concern about the article: “Pro-Palestine protesters escorted out of downtown Calgary mall after allegedly vandalizing bookstore,” published in Global News on April 15.
I take foremost issue with your article being one-sided and using misleading language.
Firstly, not only did this article give voice to Calgary Police Service and their side of the story, but it also made it seem like their opinion is the only one that should be considered and taken at face value.
This article was a platform for the Calgary Police Service, left unchallenged by the pro-Palestine protesters and organizers.
By only giving voice to the Calgary Police Service, not giving voice to pro-Palestine protesters and organizers, and not providing any piece of context, it gives too much credence to the Calgary Police Service accusing the protesters of “engaging in disruptive behavior.” The pro-Palestine protesters and organizers are left being depicted as people who deliberately don’t follow the law.
While you mention the pamphlet of the protest, you might as well have given voice to the protesters.
Please include voices from pro-Palestine protesters to balance the record and to give a more accurate picture of their intentions.
Secondly, you write: “A pamphlet obtained by a Global News reporter claimed at least three aerospace and defence companies that have offices in Calgary are ‘directly involved’ in the conflict between Hamas and Israel.”
By writing “‘directly involved’ in the conflict between Hamas and Israel,” you not only undermine how these companies fund Israel’s genocide in Gaza, but you put on equal footing that Israel and Hamas are benefiting from these companies when that is not true. Israel is the only one that has been supplied by these companies.
Please correct your sentence to make clear that the three aerospace and defence companies are used by Israel to wage its genocide in Gaza.
On an ending note, I want to mention that ending your article with incomplete background information about the response/exchange between Iran and Israel was surely considerate but not pertinent to the article, bearing in mind that the article is about a pro-Palestine protest in which you don’t even give voice to the protesters and organizers.
I hope Global News will make these changes and respect basic journalistic obligations when reporting on local demonstrations in solidarity with Palestine.
Sincerely,
Fatima Haidar,
Media Analyst, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East