The BBC is under renewed scrutiny this week, accused of double standards in its coverage of two major London events: the Notting Hill Carnival and the recent Unite the Kingdom protest march. Social media users, commentators, and journalists are openly questioning whether Britain’s national broadcaster is fairly reporting—or shaping—public opinion through selective framing.
The debate intensified after the BBC featured a celebratory livestream of the Notting Hill Carnival on its website, headlined “Notting Hill Carnival parade dances through west London.” Meanwhile, Unite the Kingdom Day, which drew singers and speakers from around the world, received no such livestream. Instead, the BBC’s headline focused on incidents at the protest: “Dozens of officers injured as up to 150,000 join Tommy Robinson rally,” highlighting police injuries over the scale or spirit of the demonstration. Mainstream such as SkyNews reported “Thousands attend Notting Hill Carnival – with Met Police reporting ‘far fewer’ violent incidents this year” versus “25 people arrested and 26 officers hurt – as up to 150,000 people join ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march in London”
This perceived imbalance was first highlighted by GB News journalist Alex Armstrong, whose viral post on X.com accused the BBC of a “clear disparity” in its coverage. Armstrong wrote: “The BBC bias in reporting: Notting Hill carnival police say ‘less serious violence this year… only 423 arrests and 2 stabbings and major preemptive police raid on guns and weapons.’ Also the BBC: Unite the kingdom with 100,000 protesters with 23 arrests ‘Met police say significant aggression.’”
Despite the Notting Hill Carnival—Europe’s largest street festival—recording over 400 arrests, two stabbings, and a significant preemptive police operation targeting weapons, BBC headlines largely echoed police descriptions of “a reduction in serious violence.” Reports tended to emphasise improvements in atmosphere and credited the arrest numbers to successful policing, rather than disorder.
By contrast, coverage of the protest march in central London, attended by an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 people, was dominated by Metropolitan Police warnings about “significant aggression.” With only 23 arrests, the BBC still chose to focus on potential unrest and police injuries, repeatedly citing public safety concerns.
The difference in tone has not gone unnoticed. X.com users noticed when the BBC reports on a cultural event like Notting Hill Carnival, the narrative tends to be upbeat, even with relatively high arrest numbers. With the Unite The Kingdom day, the emphasis often shifts to the possibility of unrest and police arrests. Armstrong’s criticism quickly resonated online. One X.com user remarked: “It’s hard not to notice how quickly the BBC downplays hundreds of arrests at a festival, yet hypes up a handful at a peaceful protest. Feels like they’re picking sides.”
The debate has only grown more heated following a protest in Parliament Square against the government’s ban on the campaign group Palestine Action. More than 425 people were arrested—most for supporting a proscribed organisation, with over 25 held for assaulting police officers or other public order offences. Protesters carried placards reading “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action” in defiance of a ban that now makes supporting the group a criminal offence, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
X.com users were quick to spot this glaring double standard, user @happy_keith claimed: “Nothing was said about the Police redirecting a small amount of patriots down a street to face Police in riot gear… for the sole purpose of creating a riot. The GBNews reporter also identified it. But the lies from @BBCNews and Labour MPs saying these were ‘Far right extremists’ is a damned LIE. This was a peaceful march by normal everyday people who have had enough of being told they are second class citizens in their own country.”
@lucymarionbrown added: “And they feel the need to remind us the crowd is ‘overwhelmingly white.’”
Others chime in, @derreckbyford wrote: “I am terribly confused about the march yesterday after watching various news outlets and multiple tweets. Can someone please provide the definitive evidence? Was it thousands of football hooligans and racists spoiling for a fight with the police (BBC and those on the ‘far-left’), or 3 million citizens peacefully expressing their exasperation about the state of the nation (Tommy Robinson supporters and those of the ‘far-right’), or something rather more nuanced?”
Some described a peaceful protest, while referencing violence and weapons at the carnival. @lesleyarden said: “Strange that I walked with 3 million patriots walking peacefully yesterday, in London, the police started on purpose. I’ve got the photographs from Notting Hill—the size of the knives were absolutely horrendous. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
With social media reporting directly from the scene, with videos and photos for all to see. The BBC and mainstream media reporting has been increasingly questioned as journalist reporting or just propaganda.
