18 April 2002

News Editor,
News Direct 97.3 FM,
200 Grays Inn Road,
London
WC1X 8XZ

Re: News Direct 97.3FM coverage of Palestine Demonstration on Saturday 13th April 2002

Dear Sirs,

We are writing to complain about the coverage of the huge march from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square in support of the Palestinians on Saturday 13th April 2002.
Your reporter described the above march as an "anti-Israel march". We do not accept this description and its negative connotations - why was it not described as a "march to show support to the Palestinian people"?

The demonstrators included people who had come from all over the country - fourteen packed 52-seater coaches came all the way from Glasgow - as well as MPs, writers and academics.

This coming weekend the Zionist Federation will be holding a rally in Wembley Conference Centre to show support for Israel. Will you describe it as an "anti-Palestinian rally"?

The Muslim Council of Britain would also like to meet with the editorial team at News Direct 97.3 to discuss issues of interest to British Muslims so that we can work together to ensure fair coverage of news events.

We look forward to your reply.

Yours faithfully,

Mr Inayat Bunglawala
Secretary,
Media Committee,
The Muslim Council of Britain

PO Box 52,
Wembley,
HA9 0XW
www.mcb.org.uk