The BBC's Question Time has faced criticism after political activist and journalist Ash Sarkar compared people angry about small boat arrivals to men with 'small penises' during last night's episode.
The comment came amid fury over protesters jailed for violent behaviour, which has been widely condemned as despicable. Among those sentenced, 42-year-old Del Somerville received a two-year jail term for throwing a plastic bottle and swearing at police during an anti-migrant protest in Portsmouth. Earlier this year, 38-year-old Shaun Thomson was jailed after admitting violent disorder during a protest outside a migrant hotel.
Violence condemned but concerns defended
While violence is never right and those throwing projectiles can fairly be called 'thugs', critics argue it is unfair to extend that label to anyone raising valid concerns about small boat migrants. The sentiment reflects wider fears over mass illegal immigration, particularly given crimes committed by some adult male migrants crossing the Channel.
In March, a man living in a migrant hotel was jailed for sexual offences against three lone women walking to work. Earlier this month, another raped a woman on a night out after being released from a UK jail for a previous sex attack. The Home Office has been forced to distribute pamphlets informing migrants that the age of consent in the UK is 16, warning against domestic abuse and rape.
Sarkar's remarks spark debate
On the show, Sarkar said: "I think that this is small penis behaviour, quite frankly. This is a bunch of guys who want to feel like big men because the missus says they can't see the kids anymore." She added: "What I think is absurd is that when we're talking about individuals being made to feel unsafe where they live, when we're looking at boats being slashed on camera, children chanting into megaphones, 'Let them drown', you guys are saying well, it's about the small boats. Well, maybe it's also about the racism and the thuggery!"
Not all migrants are criminals, and many UK residents commit similar offences daily, but with migrant hotels appearing in small towns and undocumented males entering the country, fear is understandable. As a woman, walking home alone at night is already frightening enough. While violence in any context is wrong and safety must be advocated for all, expressing fear is natural, and dismissing it as 'small penis behaviour' has been seen as going too far.
