Danish television channel TV2 apologized on Saturday following a racist comparison made by one of its reporters on Monday, December 12. This had sparked many outraged reactions on social media.
After a story about the World Cup in Qatar was broadcast on the “News & Co” program, journalist Christian Høgh Andersen compared the hugs of Moroccan national team players to their mother with a photo showing three monkeys hugging
“They stick together. They also do it at family gatherings in Qatar, Morocco,” the journalist said.
Arrested on social networks, a second journalist from the channel spoke, the one who had the photo of the primates in his hands.
“I’m the man holding the image (during an award-winning wildlife photography sequence), but not the one making the point. Although unintentional, the comparison was not acceptable,” said Soren Lippert.
“I would like to apologize”
The TV2 channel finally wrote an apology on Saturday, in Danish and English. “The presenter Christian Høgh Andersen drew a parallel between staying together as a family, with the following theme about animals. Unintentionally, it became a comparison between the Moroccan team and his family, with a photo monkey,” the document details.
“This can be perceived as a racist comment, and TV2 and Christian Høgh Andersen would like to offer their sincerest apologies,” the statement concluded.
For his part, the journalist behind the comment said: “I’m sorry I made a totally inappropriate comment. It was never my intention, but it is false and insulting, and I would like to apologize for that.”
Source: BFM TV
