Moving forward after the Copeland gun tragedies

For the past week and a half the tragic events of Wednesday 2nd June have dominated events here in Copeland.

All the West Cumbrian communities affected by the shootings are very tightly knit: everyone who did not personally know at least one of the victims of the massacre knows someone who did.

At times the constant presence of the world's TV cameras has verged on the oppressive: at other times there have been moments of black humour. (During Prince Charles' visit a royal protection officer and a couple of local officers called down the manager of a TV business who was sorting out a TV connection on the roof of West Cumberland Hospital: the long drillbit on the Bosch drill he was using looked from the ground like a rifle barrel).

And no, I'm not criticising anyone: they can't be too careful after what happened.

This tragedy will never be forgotten and nor will any of the victims. The very commuity spirit which will enable Whitehaven, Seascale, Egremont, Gosforth, Wilton and the rest of West Cumbria to pull through this means that the blow is more heavily felt.

But it is now time to move on, and for the world's press to give the people of Copeland space to mourn with dignity.

Comments

Jane said…
The media seems to have forgotten the difference between 'in the public interest' and 'of interest.' The coverage of Gary Purdham's funeral was extremely intrusive to the family's privacy. The previous evening I had seen journalists vans camped up in a lay-by near the Purdhams land, a few hundred metres from the murder site. The funeral cortege had been followed. Cameras between the gravestones in St. Mary's Church yard and broadcasts of his widow weeping during the funeral service. All this accompanied by a running commentary. This was voyeurism in the extreme.

Understandably the media wanted to cover the tragic event and this is a time for communities to bond and re-establish and enforce collective values. However, the memorial services more than sufficiently covered that for the general public. The funeral services are for family, friends and villagers. Gary Purdham was obviously a public figure and a popular man due to his rugby league connection, hence the need to relay the funeral service to people in the church yard, but broadcasting the entire funeral around the world was intrusive to the point of being in extremely bad taste. I had to leave the room when BBC news broadcast live. I sincerely hope the 'world cup fever' will divert the attention away sufficiently to enable the rest of the funerals' mourners to have privacy. West Cumbrians have been more than tolerant of the media. Now enough is enough. Let people mourn in peace.
8:54 am
Chris Whiteside said…
I agree with that.

I get a very strong sense from all sorts of directions that it is time for the media to give the people of West Cumbria some space.
8:34 pm
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