Police asked to probe YouTube clip of harassed disabled person
The National Commission Persons with Disability has condemned a video clip, recently removed from the video-sharing website YouTube, showing a person with physical and mental disabilities being taunted and harassed.
The sickening video shows a man teasing a physically disabled female person on a bus. The woman tries to ward off the man making fun of her but eventually breaks down in tears as the cameraman keeps filming despite her visible distress.
The commission has asked the Police Commissioner to take all necessary action allowed by Maltese law to identify and prosecute the people who produced the video and posted it on the internet.
It said it was not against comedy, or satire, so long as the material is not offensive and aimed at making fun of people's biological differences, as was the case of this clip. Humour that in any way mocks people because of their impairments and differences can only damage any efforts to include disabled people in mainstream society, the Commission noted.
It also appealed to all disabled people, their families and especially NGOs working in the sector to show solidarity with the victims of this new form of hate-crime by condemning the bullies and demanding suitable redress.
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James A. Tyrrell
Oct 9th 2008, 20:48
This is what I find most disturbing Franco, that apart from a couple of tourists no one else tried to stop this happening. I can assure you that had I been on that bus the offending party would have required the skills of a proctologist to get his camera back. Can everyone reading this at least agree that the next time they witness such an act they will step up to the mark and take action to stop it. If everyone acts in this way these scum will soon retreat back under whatever rock they call home.
Franco Farrugia
Oct 9th 2008, 15:51
What I mean to say is: wasn't there anyone on the bus who was witnessing all this? What was their reaction?
Franco Farrugia
Oct 9th 2008, 15:50
As the Maltese saying goes: Min jitkaza, jaqa' fil-kaza.
A friend of mine was violently abused in front of his family at the Sliema front and nobody who saw the incident batted an eyelid and came to his help.
All those who sit down and witness harassment without standing up to be counted, are all hypocrites!
Daphne Caruana Galizia
Oct 9th 2008, 13:22
A 'physically disabled female person'? Would that be a woman by any chance? For heaven's sake...
J Grima
Oct 9th 2008, 10:57
Anyone who uses public transport cannot but know what this poor woman has to go through, every single day.
Almost all drivers pick on her, with the passengers' blessing.
If a passenger picks on her, this is done with the driver and the fellow passengers' blessing.
The culprit who filmed the shameful video clips took it too far by filming her. Had he picked on her without filming the act no one would have known. And the scary part of the story is that people actually DO pick on her without filming the act.
What the National Commission Persons with Disability needs to do is HELP this poor woman. GIve her the help she needs! If she is being spoken for by the National Commision Persons with Disability, she clearly IS a Person with Disability, and in 2008 this shouldn't be something which one cannot be helped with. She could ask for help, and if she doesn't, someone can do it for her.
J Galea
Oct 9th 2008, 10:32
This is truly sickening. Does Malta not have hate crime legislation like other EU countries? Such legislation increases standard penalties when race or disability is an aggravating factor in an offence.
D Vella
Oct 9th 2008, 09:14
Rightly so, these people , if you can call them that, should be taken to court for harassment. It is a very sad reflection on who and what we are, that these thugs should think it funny to do something like that.
I am sickened.