When newspaper stories provoke violent threats, where is the PCC?

Further to Minority Thought’s earlier post, More “us and them” twaddle from one of Desmond’s rags, the Daily Mail version of the story about a group of children posting death threats to another child, Five Muslim boys and white girl, all 12, excluded over Facebook death threats to classmate who supported British troops, was posted on the EDL wall earlier today (for a more balanced view, please see the BBC’s Coventry school tackles Facebook bullying).  The Mail itself says:

Sidney Stringer Academy’s principal, Wendy Thomas, said Facebook was an increasing concern for schools. She said the children have been told to remove the comments from the site.

She said: ‘Darius is the victim of bullying. All the students involved have told me they did not mean what they said but they will learn a hard lesson from this.

‘Facebook is a big concern for schools and we urge all parents to monitor what their children say on the site. As soon as the school was notified about the comments on Monday we interviewed the pupils.

‘No weapons were found on any of the pupils. We notified the police and they are investigating.’

Bullying should never be tolerated, and anyone worried about it can contact Childline in complete confidence.  However, EDL posters seem entirely oblivious to the irony of the various threats of violence they have made in response to this story (with thanks to Exposing intolerance and racism online XXXII for the screenshot).  Please do keep in mind that these threats are aimed at children.  The original thread is here.

***Caution*** Please do not read if easily offended

By faykapaige at 2010-11-18

When will the PCC flex it’s alleged muscle and deal with this kind of biased, misleading, hatemongering reporting?  I will complain, but since I’m not directly involved it’s doubtful action will be taken.  Besides, once a story like this is printed, complete with huge headline, retractions, apologies or other ways of setting the story straight cannot undo the harm that has already been done.  The PCC claims to be effective, but I just can’t help disbelieving them.