Calls for government scientist Chris Whitty to get police protection as harrasment continues

Calls for government scientist Chris Whitty to get police protection as harrasment continues

Calls for government scientist Chris Whitty to get police protection as harrasment continues. image: Wikicommons

Calls for government scientist Chris Whitty to get police protection as harassment continues.

Government Ministers have led calls for Professor Chris Whitty to be offered police protection after a string of attacks on the scientist by members of the public have heightened fears for his safety.

Police launched an investigation over two men who harassed England’s Chief Medical Officer after video footage emerged of him on social media being heckled as he walked through St James’s Park in London at 7.20 pm on Sunday, June 27.

In the viral video, Professor Whitty appeared to be grabbed by two men who are shouting and laughing. He attempts to walks away and cross the road before the men grab him again and shout “oi oi” “one photo, one photo please.”

Police investigating after Chris Whitty accosted in the park. image: YouTube screenshot

The professor himself is understood to have dismissed the park incident as “schoolboy behaviour” and said he would not have told anyone if the footage had not already spread online. He has said not to want to take the matter any further.

A statement released on Monday by the Metropolitan Police said that the incident has been recorded as “common assault”, and that officers took down the details of the two men at the time of the attack. Then men were apparently ‘robustly’ warned about their behaviour then ordered to leave the area.

Related:

Dozens of MPs wrote to the UK’s most senior police officer to raise concerns about safety outside parliament after the Conservative MP Anna Soubry faced chants from protesters in January calling her a “Nazi”.

At least 55 parliamentarians signed the letter to the Metropolitan police commissioner, Cressida Dick, after the Commons Speaker, John Bercow, urged officers to do more to protect MPs and Soubry criticised the lack of police response to the abuse.


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Ron Howells

Ron actually started his working career as an Ophthalmic Technician- things changed when, during a band rehearsal, his amplifier blew up and he couldn’t get it fixed so he took a course at Birmingham University and ended up doing a degree course. He built up a chain of electronics stores and sold them as a franchise over 35 years ago. After five years touring the world Ron decided to move to Spain with his wife and son, a place they had visited over the years, and only bought the villa they live in because it has a guitar-shaped swimming pool!. Playing the guitar since the age of 7, he can often be seen, (and heard!) at beach bars and clubs along the length of the coast. He has always been interested in the news and constantly thrives to present his articles in an interesting and engaging way.

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