Vicar of Dibley’s Black Lives Matter scene gets over 200 complaints

Entertainment

The BBC has received 266 complaints about a Vicar of Dibley scene that showed support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

In a Christmas special last week, Dawn French’s character took the knee and delivered a speech about racism.

The scene shows her talking about being preoccupied with the “horror show” of George Floyd’s death and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Mr Floyd was killed in May when a police officer knelt on his neck in Minneapolis, Minnesota, sparking anti-racism protests around the world.

French’s character, Geraldine Granger, says Dibley – the fictional village where the show is set – is “not the most diverse community”.

“But I don’t think it matters where you are from,” she adds. “I think it matters that you do something about it, because Jesus would, wouldn’t he?

“And, listen, I am aware all lives matter, obviously, but until all lives matter the same we are doing something very wrong.

More from Black Lives Matter

Protesters hold signs as they gather to protest police brutality and racism in the US, with the recent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, in Boston, Massachusetts, on May 29, 2020. - The Minneapolis police officer accused of killing George Floyd, a handcuffed African American man, was charged with murder on May 29 as authorities declared a curfew after three nights of violent protests left parts of the city in flames. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso / AFP) (Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)
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The scene was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, sparked by the killing of George Floyd

“So I think we need to focus on justice for a huge chunk of our countrymen and women who seem to have a very bad, weird deal from the day they are born.”

She then tears two posters – about decimalisation and a missing button – from the parish noticeboard.

“I think that in Dibley perhaps we should think about taking down some of these old notices like this and that, and perhaps we should put up one like this instead,” she says.

Her character replaces them with a Black Lives Matter poster before taking the knee.

The BBC previously defended the scene, saying it was in keeping “with the character and the theme of the show”.

Dawn French also dismissed complaints earlier this month.

After criticism the scene lacked impartiality, she tweeted: “A lovely calm day, full of humanity, compassion and support all round…”

She later clarified she was being “a tad ironic”.

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