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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was walking to St. James’s Park in London when a park attendant stopped him and gave him an idea about the coronavirus blockade and the government’s confused stance on it.
A couple of days ago, Johnson tweeted urging all citizens to stay indoors for the weekend despite sources reporting that the blockade restrictions could be eased starting Monday. What further confused people was a second tweet from the official Downing Street statement saying that if people really planned to retreat, they should maintain a minimum distance of two meters from each other.
Following this, a flurry of Britons hit the streets and parks. It was one of these park goers who ran into Johnson on the way to work, with Costa takeaway coffee in hand, and apparently boarded him.
The Daily Mail reported that the passer-by probably detained Johnson and accused the government of sending mixed signals in regards to the blockade.
All the while, Johnson stood there, coffee in hand, and listened to the passerby continue to speak for a moment. A senior journalist noted that it is a privilege to be able to do this to a country’s prime minister, without having to fear the consequences.
it’s a privilege to live in a country where you can do this to the prime minister with zero repercussions never take it for granted pic.twitter.com/B38ouSE9uB
– Jim Pickard (@PickardJE) May 10, 2020
However, as most Twitter users pointed out, ideally, the option to speak to your politicians and public representatives should be a right and not a privilege. Politicians and legislators should not be considered as superior and inaccessible beings, nor should talking to them be considered a privilege. After all, they are accountable to the general public for every decision they make. While that is ideally what the dynamic between government and public should be, it is not usually the case.
the bar is very, very low, isn’t it? Dr. Joan Passey (@JoanPassey) May 10, 2020
I know what you’re saying, but I would say it was a right, not a privilege, and never let them try to take it away from you.
– Patrick Howse (@Baghdaddi) May 10, 2020
It is a right, not a privilege. – Anne Irfan (@anne_irfan) May 10, 2020
Err, normal citizens, in Germany, can talk, as long as safety and health standards are observed, with all politicians. Why do you think this is something special?
– Leslie Philibert (@PhilibertLeslie) May 10, 2020
But we do not live in an ideal world. And criticism of the head of state can often lead to problems and even arrest him. Forget about criticizing them in public. For example, if you compare this to all the times that your contemporary, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, was confronted or questioned about his decisions, you will know what we are talking about. In all of his daily briefings, Trump attacked the media, became defensive, and angered when his coronavirus strategies were discussed or devised strange (and unscientific) solutions to the coronavirus. Some were quick to point out that this was not the situation in other countries.
Here in India, we can’t even point the finger at the local politician: Aisha Shah عائشہ شاہ (@Princy_Aish) May 10, 2020
Be nice to live in a place where you don’t have to.
– Mark Liversedge (@liversedge) May 10, 2020
not for us third world people – pkk (@FacuPekerman) May 10, 2020
We are losing this freedom in America as we speak. I still haven’t lost it … but woe to us if Trump is reelected!
– Melissa Jo Peltier (@MelissaJPeltier) May 10, 2020
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