A local journalist expressed his outrage after discovering a picture of his face attached to a punchbag displayed in a town hall in Wiltshire, UK. Joe McCann, a reporter with the Melksham News for over ten years, learned about the incident from a source who alerted him to the punchbag featuring his image and the phrase “punch me” written below it. The issue was raised during a council meeting on October 16, 2023, where councillors reacted with astonishment.
At the meeting, McCann addressed the council, stating, “It has recently come to my knowledge that within this council building, there is a punchbag with my face cut out and stuck to it, with the word ‘punch me’ written at the bottom.” He requested a formal response from the council regarding the matter. Following McCann’s remarks, Saffi Rabey, the town’s mayor, condemned the act, saying, “This is not acceptable and you have every right to be furious. I didn’t know this existed and I am lost for words on what to say on this. This is not acceptable behaviour.”
The punchbag was reportedly placed in the town hall by council staff, not elected officials. A spokesperson for the council indicated that the situation is being treated as a personnel matter, confirming that an investigation is currently underway.
McCann shared his reaction with the Guardian, stating he was “obviously pretty shocked” when he first saw the photo. Initially, he thought it might have been a joke, but after discussions with colleagues, he realized the inappropriateness of the situation. “You don’t expect to see yourself attached to a punchbag most days of the week… It’s crazy,” he remarked.
The journalist expressed concern about the implications of such incidents, particularly for younger professionals in the industry. “Imagine that was someone who was a lot younger than me, who had just got into the industry? How would they feel?” he asked. McCann emphasized that his publication does not have a specific agenda against the council, describing their reporting as fair and impartial, akin to the standards of the BBC.
He noted past controversies where council decisions were met with public disapproval, suggesting that some officials may be deflecting blame onto journalists for highlighting these issues. “It seems to me that they’ve gone down this route of looking at our articles and saying we’re at fault for highlighting it, rather than their own policies,” McCann stated.
While he downplayed the severity of the incident, calling it “not the crime of the century,” McCann pointed out that it contributes to a troubling trend regarding the safety and treatment of journalists. He referenced the ongoing issues faced by reporters in the United States, cautioning against such behavior becoming normalized in the UK. “It needs to be raised, people need to be aware of it, and it needs to be stamped out as quickly as possible,” he concluded.
As investigations continue, this incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by journalists and the importance of maintaining a respectful environment within public institutions.
