The Guardian correction highlights misleading framing of protest coverage
The Guardian has amended an article on policing of Gaza-related demonstrations after incorrectly referring to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) as “the UK’s” human rights watchdog. In fact, the EHRC covers only England, Scotland and Wales, not Northern Ireland.
The correction was quietly added on 19 August 2025, with the headline and main text both altered.
The underlying article had centred on the case of an activist in Kent who displayed placards reading “Free Gaza” and “Israel is committing genocide”. Police officers warned her that such messages could amount to support for a proscribed organisation under the Terrorism Act. The Guardian presented the incident as emblematic of “heavy-handed” policing, while quoting the EHRC’s warning that public confidence in human rights protections could be undermined.
By failing to distinguish clearly between legitimate security concerns — such as support for proscribed extremist groups — and generalised protest slogans, the coverage risked leaving readers with the impression that authorities were unlawfully silencing peaceful criticism of Israel. The fact that the error concerned the very mandate of the EHRC further weakened the authority of the piece.
Critics argue that such misreporting reflects a broader editorial tendency to frame policing of pro-Palestinian demonstrations primarily through the prism of rights violations, while minimising the role of extremist groups that openly call for direct action against Israeli and UK institutions. The use of a sweeping label — “the UK’s” watchdog — was not only factually wrong but bolstered the sense of a national, unanimous rebuke to policing responses, when in fact the EHRC does not speak for Northern Ireland.
Accuracy matters, particularly in highly charged debates. When reporting on protests involving allegations of terrorism offences, even small misstatements can tilt coverage in ways that amplify hostility towards Israel and those tasked with upholding the law.