BBC broadcaster Jeremy Vine has divided social media after posting a clip of a young man who he thought was being assaulted.
The journalist, 56, posted the video on Twitter on Monday afternoon and asked: ‘Should I have done more here? I was worried the young man was being attacked’.
The clip, which Vine filmed while cycling down Oxford Street in Central London, showed a youth hitting his head on the pavement after being pushed to the ground by another young man, who was part of a group of four.
As Vine stopped to ask if anything was wrong, one of the teenagers could be heard telling the apparently dazed person that they would ‘f*** him up’.
After the presenter repeated his query and asked, ‘what’s wrong with him’, he was told that the teenager was just ‘a little bit drunk’.
Vine then immediately continued cycling as the teenager was pulled to his feet. One of the youths in the video covered his face after Vine had stopped.
People who saw the clip were immediately divided over Vine’s decision to stop.
One said: ‘That’s how you get attacked. You should not do that….’
On the opposing side, another said: ‘Yes you should’ve reported this to the police’.
BBC broadcaster Jeremy Vine has divided social media after posting a clip of a young man who he thought was being assaulted. The clip, which Vine filmed while cycling down Oxford Street in Central London, showed a youth hitting his head on the pavement after being pushed to the ground by another young man, who was part of a group of four
Viewers who said the broadcaster should not have intervened appeared to be mostly concerned for Vine’s own welfare.
In response to his question, one wrote: ‘Nope – Sadly the best thing to do if your concerned for someone’s welfare is to dial 999.
‘The only exception I’d say is if your [sic] in a position to act knowing the threat you might face and then only when you’ve the ability to overcome what that threat might be.’
The journalist, 56, posted the video on Twitter on Monday afternoon and asked: ‘Should I have done more here? I was worried the young man was being attacked’
Another wrote: ‘Ah definitely wouldn’t have done more there. You can hear one of them shout to the lad on the ground that he’s going to “f… you up bruv.”
‘The other lad then covers his face before approaching you…’
However, most viewers were unsure about the best course of action. One said: ‘Tricky if you had got too involved they could have pulled a knife.
‘The best thing would have been to go out of their view and phoned police.’
Another added: ‘Looks like the kid was getting robbed…I’d of pulled the kid away from them and ask if he is safe…least you stopped and said something so it didn’t escalate at the time….but certainly don’t feel guilty about it’.
As Vine stopped to ask if anything was wrong, one of the teenagers could be heard telling the apparently dazed person that they would ‘f*** him up’
After the presenter repeated his query and asked, ‘what’s wrong with him’, he was told that the teenager was just ‘a little bit drunk’
People who saw the clip were immediately divided over Vine’s decision to stop. Some (above) agreed that he should not have intervened
A third wrote: ‘Maaan I hate these situations. Intervene too much and you risk your own life, don’t intervene at all and someone else could be in the shit.
‘I’d have done just this, probably gone in a little circle around to look for a police car, that’s about it’.
But other viewers seemed more sure about what was happening in the clip.
One said: ‘He wasn’t drunk. The lad shoved him over, then when the lad gets up he has his hands together in pray like position.
Most viewers were unsure about the best course of action. One said: ‘Tricky if you had got too involved they could have pulled a knife’
‘Lad speaking to you pulls his hat down to cover his face up. You asked – I’d have called police once further along or gone round the corner’.
A second person said: ‘Yes you should’ve reported this to the police. Luckily you still can with this video footage.
‘That was a clear shove to the ground you see his head bounce off the concrete. He could have a serious internal head injury.’
A third added: ‘Glad you stopped and made your presence known, as a warning to them. I would not have posted this video on Twitter.
‘You should have reported it straight away to police, from a safe distance. Young lad maybe concussed and situation unfriendly for him.’