Video of Chris Whitty being harassed in park condemned by politicians
The Metropolitan Police are investigating after the footage was put online
Politicians have condemned a video appearing to show England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty being harassed by two men in a park.
The 20 second video shows two grinning men grabbing Prof Whitty, as they shout “Oi oi” and say “One photo please?”
As Prof Whitty attempts to walk away, the men grab him again before a voice is heard saying “Leave the gentleman alone”.
Metropolitan Police are investigating after the footage, thought to have been taken in St James’s Park in central London, before being shared online.
Politicians condemn the video
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said such behaviour will not be tolerated and that those responsible for acting in this way towards Professor Chris Whitty “should be ashamed”.
Mr Javid tweeted: “I’ve seen the video of the CMO being harassed. It’s appalling and totally unacceptable. The CMO works tirelessly on behalf of the country.
“We will not tolerate this sort of behaviour towards our public servants. The men behaving in this disgraceful way should be ashamed.”
Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi tweeted: “This is disgusting and these thugs must be found and charged. Zero tolerance for harassing a public servant.”
Schools minister Nick Gibb described those responsible as “yobbos”, telling LBC that Prof Whitty has been a “first-class chief medical officer throughout the pandemic, providing very high-quality advice to Government, providing very calm advice to the public in those press conferences”.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said she was “just horrified” by the incident and that officials are looking at support available to Prof Whitty.
Labour MP Jess Phillips said Prof Whitty had been made to feel “awful and uncomfortable” and issued a reminder that public figures “are human beings”.
“Even if you perceive it as non violent it is clear that he felt awful and uncomfortable and resisted,” Ms Phillips tweeted.
It is not the first time Prof Whitty has been forced to endure public harassment.
Earlier this month, he was confronted in a street in Oxford by a man accusing him of lying to the public about coronavirus, while in February a man accosted the chief medical officer outside Westminster.