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The BBC says it ‘totally condemned’ on-line claims {that a} College Problem workforce’s blue octopus mascot was an anti-Semitic image.
Christ Church from Oxford College appeared on final night time’s episode of the favored BBC Two quiz present with the comfortable toy on their desk in full view of the viewers.
A row broke out on social media over the item, as some viewers believed the toy was a reference to the ‘anti-Semitic trope’ for an imaginary worldwide Jewish conspiracy.
The BBC stated the mascot was meant to characterize one of many workforce’s favorite animals and many individuals on-line felt its inclusion on the panel was solely harmless, because the connotations of the blue octopus as anti-Semitic imagery are usually not well-known.
The octopus was on show for the entire episode, filmed in March 2023, because the group of scholars beat Emmanuel School from Cambridge by 155 factors to 130, and was not talked about by presenter Amol Rajan.
Christ Church from Oxford College appeared on final night time’s of the favored BBC Two quiz present with the mascot on their desk in full view of the viewers
The octopus was on show for the entire episode, as the faculty beat Emmanuel School from Cambridge by 155 factors to 130
Some viewers believed the toy was a reference to the ‘anti-Semitic trope’ for an imaginary worldwide Jewish conspiracy
Groups on College Problem are inspired by the present to deliver alongside a fortunate mascot to perch on the desk in entrance of them and have completed since its inception in 1962.
The comfortable animal toy had not been the mascot for the faculty’s first look on the present again in August, once they beat Southampton College.
The blue octopus image is linked again to anti-Semitic propaganda cartoon by one in all Nazi Germany’s most well-known cartoonists Seppla (Josef Plank) confirmed Winston Churchill as an octopus in a cartoon warning of a worldwide Jewish conspiracy.
The cartoon depicts an octopus with a Star of David over its head and tentacles encompassing a globe.
Greta Thunberg just lately deleted a pro-palestine social media publish after critics claimed a stuffed octopus within the photograph might be seen as an ‘anti-Semitic’ image – with the activist saying the toy helps along with her autism.
Ms Thunberg deleted the unique photograph and changed it with one displaying the octopus cropped out.
The BBC additionally moved to close down additional on-line chatter that one of many opponents was carrying a high within the colors of the Palestinian flag.
The nationwide broadcaster stated the jacket worn by Melika Gorgianeh – an Astrophysics DPhil scholar – was navy blue, orange, pink and inexperienced.
The corporate stated it was purchased from a Excessive Road retailer and had no connection to any flag.
The jacket worn by Melika Gorgianeh – an Astrophysics DPhil scholar – was navy blue, orange, pink and inexperienced
Ben Overweight-Jecty, a parliamentary candidate for Huntingdon, posted on X: ‘That is disgraceful from the BBC. How on earth was @ChCh_Oxford allowed to have a blue octopus, a widely known antisemitic trope, on show as a mascot on #UniversityChallenge? How did @amolrajan miss out on it?’
One other X consumer wrote: ‘Anti-Semitic trope proudly on show right here. Anti-Semitic propaganda throughout nineteenth/twentieth Century typically used octopus imagery to characterize Jewish affect & management. I wrestle to consider within the present local weather this can be a coincidence. BBC has severe inquiries to reply.’
A 3rd particular person added: ‘Christ Church Oxford has a protracted historical past and plenty of symbols/mascots nonetheless I can discover no reference to the anti-Semitic blue octopus image. I can solely think about subsequently that @BBC have been comfortable to approve this blatant show.’
A fourth posted: ‘College Problem. The Palestinian flag colors worn by one contestant – unintentional? The octopus mascot – is that only a coincidence?’
Others rejected the claims, with one particular person writing: ‘So now a cuddly toy octopus is routinely interpreted as anti-Semitic? Does this imply the manufacturing of cuddly toy octopuses must be banned? Wtf is fallacious with individuals? Till the Greta pic a month in the past nobody thought that octopuses have been an anti-Semitic trope.’
One other stated: ‘I criticised Greta’s octopus, and I’m not Jewish so do not get to determine this, however it is going to take lots to persuade me {that a} workforce from an Oxford school on an episode of College Problem that was filmed months in the past have been being anti-Semitic by displaying a toy octopus.’
A 3rd particular person backed up this argument, saying: ‘The notion {that a} College Problem workforce would deliver a toy octopus as a mascot *on the BBC*, and truly it is some secret anti-Semitic Nazi messaging, is simply so laughable and absurd. Individuals exit of their technique to be offended, satisfied everyone seems to be in opposition to them.’
The BBC instructed the MailOnline it was conscious of ‘inaccurate claims’ being made on-line regarding the episode and ‘totally condemned the abuse that has been posted and shared’.
A spokesman for the broadcaster stated: ‘We’re conscious of a variety of inaccurate claims being made on-line in relation to final night time’s episode of College Problem and we totally condemn the abuse that has been posted and shared.
‘For the avoidance of doubt, this episode was filmed in March. The mascot is one in all many chosen by the workforce through the course of the sequence and is one in all their favorite animals.’
Christ Church have been approached for remark.
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