BBC Host Danny Baker Probed By Police Over Racist Duchess Meghan Tweet
Law enforcement officials are investigating a BBC DJ, who was fired for posting a racist tweet in reference to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their newborn son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.
The Sun reported that Danny Baker is now the subject of a police investigation after he posted a photo on Twitter, which showed two elegantly dressed people walking out of a hospital holding hands with a chimpanzee dressed as a human. While it is still being debated on Twitter whether or not this is racist, it offended enough people that Baker has now lost his job, and Scotland Yard is investigating the matter.
A spokesman for Scotland Yard confirmed that Baker is under investigation.
“An allegation has been received in relation to a tweet published on May 8. As is routine, the allegation will be reviewed and assessed by specialist officers.”
Baker, 61, is now admitting that the tweet could have been seen as racist.
“I chose the wrong photo for a joke. Disastrously so. I am so, so sorry,” he said.
But Baker’s apology was undermined when he said he didn’t know which royal was giving birth, and that Meghan Markle is of mixed race. This claim was quickly refuted by those who scrolled back on Baker’s Twitter page, where he had posted a photo of Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan just days before.
"I just want to formally apologise for the outrage I caused"
Broadcaster Danny Baker says sorry on Twitter, following BBC sacking for tweeting picture of a chimpanzee captioned 'Royal baby leaves hospital'https://t.co/uJojc7aN1v
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) May 10, 2019
The Telegraph says that Baker stated that he wanted to make fun of the royals and privilege, and just picked the wrong photo to go with it.
“In attempting to lampoon privilege and the news cycle I went to a file of goofy pictures and saw the chimp dressed as a Lord and thought, That’s the one!” Baker explained.
The former BBC DJ says he knows it’s wrong to “equate simians with people of color,” but says he is not a racist.
On Twitter, writer Chimene Suleyman had an interesting point about the network and racists, saying that Baker wasn’t fired for offending people of color, but instead for offending a white royal.
“The reason the BBC continue to platform racists after sacking Danny Baker, is because the BBC didn’t fire him for being racist. They fired him for offending a white prince. Thank you for coming to my TedTalk.”
The reactions to Baker’s firing continues to be mixed, with many saying that his racism was “accidental” and that his apology should have been enough. Baker confirmed himself that when he was reprimanded by his bosses, he responded not with an apology, but with the words “f**k off.”
