A regional daily’s story about suspected illegal immigrants being hired as Olympic security guards has made national headlines.
The Newcastle Evening Chronicle published a story on Friday revealing that police had made three arrests in a swoop at Newcastle’s St James’ Park, just 24 hours before the Olympic football game between Mexico and South Korea.
The suspected illegal immigrants had been contracted in to provide security at the site and it is believed they had already been installed in their posts.
Editor Darren Thwaites said the story had come about after a tip-off to the Chronicle’s newsdesk.
He said: “We got a tip-off to the newsdesk and could hardly believe it was true. It’s remarkable that not even the most basic check appears to have been made on those people entrusted to keep the public safe.
“Once again it shows how the regional media with great contacts and trusted sources sets the news agenda for others to follow.”
The Chronicle reported that it understood those arrested were brought into Newcastle by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games from a security company in the south of England – but LOCOG has yet to comment on
The Home Office has confirmed the arrests were made on Wednesday in a co-ordinated sting.
Security firm G4S has come under fire in the run-up to the Olympics after failing to provide enough security staff.
The Chronicle revealed earlier last week how Tyneside doormen had been drafted in from private security firms to protect the stadium.
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Well done to the Chron for splashing a real news story instead of the usual rubbish that seems to land on the front so often.
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Very good story, always brilliant when a regional/local scoops the nationals and proves that grassroots journalism will always win through. HOWEVER!!! Can we please stop using the phrase ‘illegal immigrants’ – it is wrong. To be an immigrant is a legal term that requires you to have been allowed legally into the country, that you have the legal documentation. You cannot be an illegal immigrant anymore than you can be a legal murderer. What you are referring to and what the PCC has previously issued a directive on is an ‘illegal migrant’. In short someone who travels to a country is a migrant,
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Forgive the cynicism, but I’ve always thought that’s why local newspapers existed – to get the local stories first. In my experience the nats have always ridden on the backs of local hacks and rarely acknowledged them as the genuine source of their stories. I don’t suppose the punter who tipped off the newsdesk got any realistic reward for his (or her) efforts.
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I wonder if the irony of this story occurred to anyone at the Chronicle who remembers when a contract cleaner at ncjMedia was arrested a few years ago for being… illegal.
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