Racist Abuse on Ryan Air Flight

[billyg]

Spoiler

 

Another couple of views on this , by an airline head steward , then an airline Captain (not Ryanair) .

"If you look at his body language - generally hunched and turning away rather than squaring-up aggressively - I think this was a mental health issue. I am afraid that everyone yelling and shouting at him made it worse. I don't think he was processing what was happening and I suspect that he should have been quietly led away. "

"I'm getting increasingly uncomfortable with the media coverage - specifically, the media coverage here in the UK - about this incident, but more especially into the man in question.
Firstly we had the (mainly tabloid) media almost gleefully reporting it as a racist incident. There now appears to be significant doubt about that. Worse, there are now personal insults splashed across the public domain about the man himself without knowing his mental capacity. One of our (here in the UK) magazine television morning TV show hosts, which airs to millions, called him "this half-wit".

Yes, he did an horrific thing in verbally abusing the lady BUT - big "but" - IF he is mentally unstable then having his name and location reported openly in the national press AND having his character slurred so publicly then we are into territory that I find verging on dangerous for him.

I think a little calming of the waters on this is needed until the full facts are known. Else we could drive him into a pretty dark place, which nobody wants. "

[Callum Gilhooley]

Spoiler  
Another couple of views on this , by an airline head steward , then an airline Captain (not Ryanair) .
"If you look at his body language - generally hunched and turning away rather than squaring-up aggressively - I think this was a mental health issue. I am afraid that everyone yelling and shouting at him made it worse. I don't think he was processing what was happening and I suspect that he should have been quietly led away. "
"I'm getting increasingly uncomfortable with the media coverage - specifically, the media coverage here in the UK - about this incident, but more especially into the man in question.
Firstly we had the (mainly tabloid) media almost gleefully reporting it as a racist incident. There now appears to be significant doubt about that. Worse, there are now personal insults splashed across the public domain about the man himself without knowing his mental capacity. One of our (here in the UK) magazine television morning TV show hosts, which airs to millions, called him "this half-wit".

Yes, he did an horrific thing in verbally abusing the lady BUT - big "but" - IF he is mentally unstable then having his name and location reported openly in the national press AND having his character slurred so publicly then we are into territory that I find verging on dangerous for him.

I think a little calming of the waters on this is needed until the full facts are known. Else we could drive him into a pretty dark place, which nobody wants. "

One of the points I take issue with in that statement
“Firstly we had the (mainly tabloid) media almost gleefully reporting it as a racist incident. There now appears to be significant doubt about that. “

So IF the guy had some mental issues , it’s not racist ? Really ?
Sorry , I don’t buy that.
I think the guy you are quoting was ex BA captain, if so, does this incident simply show up Ryanair for not having the same standards of training for their staff ? I don’t know whether that is the case or not , but they certainly did not seem prepared for or capable of handling the situation.
The truth will , I hope eventually come out . IF the man does have issues, I would hope part of any “ punishment” may be an attempt to educate and explain what is acceptable behaviour ( before anyone says , I am well aware of the issues surrounding this course of action ) IF it transpires he is simply an old racist sod, and there are plenty about, he should be banned by every airline in the UK.

[St.Ricky]

3 hours ago, oaksoft said:

The latter would be aggravating factors not mitigating.

I agree with you but unfortunately these are still put forward by solicitors defending an accused person as mitigating factors.  Not  in my book. 

[beyond our ken]

3 hours ago, oaksoft said:

You should have led with that before you dived in and made yourself look daft TBH.

You’d be the expert in that field so I’ll bow to your superior knowledge 

[beyond our ken]

12 minutes ago, St.Ricky said:

I agree with you but unfortunately these are still put forward by solicitors defending an accused person as mitigating factors.  Not  in my book. 

My wife is a nurse and used to work in. Secure ward for notionally low risk patients who were too disruptive to live at home but not judged to be mentally deficient in a criminal sense

many of the staff took extreme physical abuse at the hands of the patients and all of them suffered extreme verbal abuse.  Many of these incidents were reported to the police who refused in every case to take action even though the consultants in charge deemed the patients capable of understanding their actions and controlling their own behaviour, in short they had sufficient mental capacity to be responsible for their actions .

the police washed their hands because the abuse was in a hospital setting and if the patient was discharged  and caused mayhem in the community the cops simply dumped them on the hospital 

The mental illness or capacity tag is overused as an excuse not to deal with anti social behaviour that can be corrected 

[The Original 59er]

Not that I condone violence, you understand, but he has a face you wouldn't get tired of punching................................ 

[faraway saint]

1 minute ago, cockles1987 said:

Who, Faraway, StRicky, Shull..........

Getting a wee bit obsessed cock......................les. 

[The Original 59er]

5 minutes ago, cockles1987 said:

Who, Faraway, StRicky, Shull..........

Thought that might draw some targets 

[faraway saint]

Just now, cockles1987 said:

At least I'm funny.

Well compared to your Stirling pal.

Don't want to burst your bubble but "Thrush" is funnier than that dullard. 

[faraway saint]

2 minutes ago, The Original 59er said:

Thought that might draw some targets 

Cheeky b'strd!!!!! 

[oaksoft]

4 hours ago, beyond our ken said:

You’d be the expert in that field so I’ll bow to your superior knowledge 

It's not me currently sitting with egg on my face on this thread.

[The Original 59er]

12 minutes ago, faraway saint said:

Cheeky b'strd!!!!! 

Can I suggest that if you continue with you current season's attendance approach we are doooooomed:

Games attended: Aberdeen 4-0 St Mirren

Aberdeen 4-1 St Mirren

At this rate if we meet them in the Cup we might have a record 20-2 aggregate hoofing. Stay away pleeeeeeaaaaase 

 

[faraway saint]

3 minutes ago, The Original 59er said:

Can I suggest that if you continue with you current season's attendance approach we are doooooomed:

Games attended: Aberdeen 4-0 St Mirren

Aberdeen 4-1 St Mirren

At this rate if we meet them in the Cup we might have a record 20-2 aggregate hoofing. Stay away pleeeeeeaaaaase 

 

Wait a minute, a certain dullard goes on and on and on about me not going, now you're giving me a hard time for going? 

FFS. 

[The Original 59er]

30 minutes ago, faraway saint said:

Wait a minute, a certain dullard goes on and on and on about me not going, now you're giving me a hard time for going? 

FFS. 

Pick your games carefully then............. let's see, East Stirling, or Edinburgh City (that might be risky!), or your neck of the woods, Arbroath or Forfar. Hopefully we won't get 4 knocked past us by these diddy teams............... 

[DougJamie]

Any way .......... guy should be prosecuted and banned and we move on.  Sorry i just read the thread title then looked at video and commented 

Edited October 24, 2018 by DougJamie

[St.Ricky]

52 minutes ago, faraway saint said:

Wait a minute, a certain dullard goes on and on and on about me not going, now you're giving me a hard time for going? 

FFS. 

He has a point.  More than we have from games you attended.

 

[Mykey]

Another thing that annoys me is age being used as mitigation like "it was different in their day" I grew up in the 60's and 70's I even had the misfortune to see "love thy neighbour", "mind your language" & "on the buses" doesn't mean that somehow I don't know what racism and sexism are.

[billyg]

It turns out that he lives in sheltered accommodation , my Mrs was in charge of a local sheltered accommodation unit , and says that it is likely that Mr Mesher is , at least , in the early stages of dementia !

[Cornwall_Saint]

7 hours ago, The Original 59er said:

Pick your games carefully then............. let's see, East Stirling, or Edinburgh City (that might be risky!), or your neck of the woods, Arbroath or Forfar. Hopefully we won't get 4 knocked past us by these diddy teams............... 

We couldn't beat Spartans or Queen's Park in 90 minutes, don't give him ideas!

[oaksoft]

11 hours ago, Mykey said:

Another thing that annoys me is age being used as mitigation like "it was different in their day" I grew up in the 60's and 70's I even had the misfortune to see "love thy neighbour", "mind your language" & "on the buses" doesn't mean that somehow I don't know what racism and sexism are.

FFS not this nonsense again. 

None of those were racist programs, Get a grip.

[shull]

Alf Garnett was my favourite

SILLY OLD MOO   

 

[St.Ricky]

Ryanair racism: Flight rant man says he is 'not a racist'

• 2 hours ago

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Image copyrightGOOD MORNING BRITAIN Image captionDavid Mesher has apologised saying he had "a fit of temper"

The Ryanair passenger filmed launching a tirade at an elderly woman on a flight has apologised and denied he is a racist.

David Mesher was on a flight from Barcelona to Stansted on 19 October when he began insulting Delsie Gayle.

He told ITV's Good Morning Britain he was "not a racist person by any means" and it was "just a fit of temper at the time".

Mrs Gayle, 77, and her daughter Carol Gayle have rejected his apology.

In the film - viewed on Facebook more than 1.8 million times - Mr Mesher man can be heard using racial slurs to Delsie Gayle and threatening to "push" her to another seat.

He also shouts at her: "Don't talk to me in a foreign language, you stupid ugly cow."

 

Media captionThe row was captured by passenger David Lawrence, who spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live about what happened

Speaking on Friday, Mr Mesher, from Birmingham, said the dispute with Mrs Gayle began over getting to his seat.

"I probably lost my temper a bit and ordered her to get up," he said.

"I'm not a racist person by any means and it's just a fit of temper at the time, I think.

"I apologise for all the distress you've had there and since."

Image copyrightITV THIS MORNING Image captionDelsie Gayle and daughter Carole have rejected David Mesher's apology

Asked if she accepted the apology, Mrs Gayle said: "I don't think so. You must forget and forgive but it's going to take a long time for me to get over what he has done to me."

Carol Gayle said: "He says he wasn't racist, he wouldn't be saying words like that if he wasn't racist."

The pair have also renewed their criticism of Ryanair, saying they are still yet to hear from the budget airline.

'Regrettable and unacceptable'

In a statement issued on Friday, the airline said it became aware of the incident late on 20 October and reported the video to Essex Police at 09:00 BST on 21 October, together with the details of the passengers involved and had written to Mrs Gayle the same morning.

It said the company's Spanish cabin crew were aware of an argument between two passengers but were not aware of the racist comments until they were shown the video after the flight landed in London.

The crew had followed company procedure to defuse an argument, which was to separate the passengers by offering to move one to alternative seating. It said Mrs Gayle was moved at her request, to a seat next to her daughter, and both passengers involved in the altercation confirmed they were "OK".

The airline said it wrote, both by email and letter, to the Mrs Gayle at 11:00 on Sunday to apologise.

In the statement, Robin Kiely from Ryanair again apologised for the "regrettable, and unacceptable remarks" made to Mrs Gayle by an adjacent passenger.

"We believe that by reporting this matter immediately to the Essex Police and by apologising in writing to this customer early on Sunday morning, Ryanair treated it with the urgency and seriousness it warranted," he said.

 

[Hendo]

On 10/24/2018 at 9:03 PM, billyg said:

It turns out that he lives in sheltered accommodation , my Mrs was in charge of a local sheltered accommodation unit , and says that it is likely that Mr Mesher is , at least , in the early stages of dementia !

That's a very impressive diagnosis given I presume she's never met him.

[oaksoft]

On 10/24/2018 at 9:03 PM, billyg said:

It turns out that he lives in sheltered accommodation , my Mrs was in charge of a local sheltered accommodation unit , and says that it is likely that Mr Mesher is , at least , in the early stages of dementia !

FFS 

[billyg]

1 hour ago, Hendo said:

That's a very impressive diagnosis given I presume she's never met him.

We'll wait and see , but there's a reason he's in sheltered accommodation , and it's usually on health grounds !