More than half of the GB News family agree it was right the man who filmed himself harassing Professor Chris Whitty was sacked from his job.
Lewis Hughes, from Romford in Essex, apologised for "any upset I caused" after he posted a video of himself and a friend following England's chief medical officer and grabbing Whitty by the neck.
We put it to our viewers if the 24-year-old should have been axed from his job, and 65% of the 45,226 people who voted agreed it was the right move to sack him.
In the video, which last around 20 seconds, the two grinning men grab Prof Whitty as they shout “Oi oi” and say “One photo please?”.
As Prof Whitty attempts to walk away, the men grab him again, while a voice is heard saying “leave the gentleman alone” before the clip ends.
Mr Hughes, a 24-year-old estate agent, said he had lost his job following the incident, telling The Sun: “I absolutely apologise for any upset I caused.
“If I made him feel uncomfortable, which it does look like I did, then I am sorry to him for that. “He is quite a timid, shy person and I think that is why he didn’t say, ‘Get off me’. If he had said that and I had realised how he felt, I wouldn’t have put my arm round him.”
He said he had been hoping to get a selfie with Prof Whitty to show to his mother, adding: “There was no malicious intent, I didn’t want to upset him.”
In the video, which last around 20 seconds, the two grinning men grab Prof Whitty as they shout “Oi oi” and say “One photo please?”.
His friend Jonathan Chew, 24, told the newspaper: “We didn’t cause any harm to him. We just wanted a selfie.”
The Metropolitan Police said the force was still investigating the incident, which was condemned by the Prime Minister and other politicians.
“I’m shocked at seeing the despicable harassment of chief medical officer Chris Whitty,” Mr Johnson said.
“I condemn the behaviour of these thugs. Our hard-working public servants should not have to face this kind of intimidation on our streets and we will not tolerate it.”
A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: “We are aware of a video being shared online showing an incident that took place in St James’s Park at around 19:20 on the evening of Sunday 27 June.
“Officers were in the vicinity policing a nearby demonstration and intervened when they saw what was happening.
“They spoke to the victim and checked his welfare. He had not suffered any injuries and informed officers that at that time he did not wish to make any allegations. He then went on his way.
Englands chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty, outside the Department of Health, in central London, he has declined to comment on Matt Hancocks actions. Picture date: Friday June 25, 2021.
Kirsty O'Connor
“Officers continued to speak to the two men and recorded their details. They were robustly warned about their behaviour and ordered to leave the area.
“Police remain in contact with the alleged victim. The incident has been recorded as a common assault and continues to be investigated by the Met’s Public Order crime team.”
It is not the first time Prof Whitty, who has taken a central role in decision making and communications in the Government’s response to the pandemic, has been faced public harassment.
Earlier this month, he was confronted in a street in Oxford by a man accusing him of lying to the public about coronavirus, while in February a man accosted the chief medical officer outside Westminster.
- Do you think Lewis Hughes should have been sacked after he was filmed harassing Prof Chris Whitty? Let us know in the comments below.
