OHCHR / US CAPITOL VIOLENCE

STORY: OHCHR / US ELECTION
TRT: 01:25
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 08 JANUARY 2021, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / RECENT

SHOTLIST:

RECENT - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Wide shot, exterior, Palais des Nations

08 JANUARY 2021, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, Spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“We are deeply troubled by Wednesday’s attack on the US Capitol, which demonstrated clearly the destructive impact of sustained, deliberate distortion of facts, and incitement to violence and hatred by political leaders. Allegations of electoral fraud have been invoked to try to undermine the right to political participation. We are encouraged to see that the process has continued in spite of serious attempts to disrupt it. We call on leaders from across the political spectrum, including the President of the United States, to disavow false and dangerous narratives, and to encourage their supporters to do so as well. We note with dismay the serious threats and destruction of property faced by media professionals yesterday. And we support calls from many quarters for a thorough investigation into Wednesday’s events. We are concerned that some of the protestors were clearly displaying symbols of racial and ethnic hatred and white supremacy, including the Confederate flag, clothes displaying anti-Semitic logos, and a noose erected from across the Capitol. We condemn this display of overtly racist symbols and we call on all the political leaders to also condemn the use of such overtly racist symbols.”

STORYLINE:

Human Rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani today (8 Jan) said, Wednesday’s attack on the US Capitol, “demonstrated clearly the destructive impact of sustained, deliberate distortion of facts, and incitement to violence and hatred by political leaders.”

Shamdasani said, “allegations of electoral fraud have been invoked to try to undermine the right to political participation,” and called on leaders from across the political spectrum, ”including the President of the United States, to disavow false and dangerous narratives, and to encourage their supporters to do so as well.”

The spokesperson noted “with dismay the serious threats and destruction of property faced by media professionals,” and expressed support for “calls from many quarters for a thorough investigation into Wednesday’s events.”

She also expressed concern “that some of the protestors were clearly displaying symbols of racial and ethnic hatred and white supremacy, including the Confederate flag, clothes displaying anti-Semitic logos, and a noose erected from across the Capitol,” and condemned “this display of overtly racist symbols.”