Why is what’s happening in Leicester secret?

[GrandmaMazur]

I just saw a news alert about a very serious incident that happened last night in Leicester and the area is cordoned off with a heavy police presence. But there are no details available.

I don’t remember seeing a news story like this before where nothing about the actual incident is reported. Does this happen regularly and I’ve not noticed or is this quite unusual?

I hope it’s nothing too awful.

It is strange. A very serious incident at De Montfort University. It will come out over the course of the day I think

It could be that the police have caught someone and so the news outlets have to wait for charges to be filed. If they report A was committed and a named person is then charged with B, the news outlets will have committed libel.

A stabbing.

Still trying to establish what’s happened?

If there has been a tragic incident... especially involving a death, detailed information can't be released until relatives have been informed.

It does feel very odd that it isn't being reported what's happened. I was wondering if there's been a death and the next of kin hasn't been able to be informed yet maybe?

But they would normally report a vague summary of what had happened even if no details about individuals were given. Eg there was a stabbing and it is reported that x number of people were taken to hospital and that someone had been arrested (without saying what they are being charged with).

The BBC are covering it, so it's not so secret is it?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c17zkj7nwzjt

But they don’t seem to be giving any information?

My sister lives right there and she's wondering the same thing. No info at all even for the people around it. It's all cordoned off still.

Source????

But giving no details at all and the report seems more concerned with traffic delays resulting from the "incident".

Hardly BBC journalism at its finest.

It must be unsettling to be living there and not to have any idea what’s going on.

I know they’re telling people not to speculate about what’s happened but that’s not human nature!

It now says stabbing in the headline I’ve just seen. 😪

Yeah she is worried. Some neighbours didn't send their kids to school as they're feeling a bit vulnerable. I did say that at least they don't appear to be searching for any perpetrators. Doesn't seem to be increased police presence in the surrounding areas either.

Hardly BBC journalism at its finest.

On the contrary. The BBC is very good at not reporting speculation, and in waiting to report facts. If the police weren't telling the BBC what had happened, the BBC is not going to go round reporting what equally uninformed residents think.

There are vague reports of a triple stabbing with one fatality but seems strange that it is all being kept under wraps

Police have just confirmed it's not a massive stabbing. Just wait until details are released.

BBC now saying police have said it's not a triple stabbing?

But it seems unusual that the police aren’t giving facts to the reporters, even if they are not providing names of the people involved.

Other than prurient interest, why are you so bothered that you don't have all the details right now?

Yes. But the PP I replied to seemed to be criticising the BBC for not reporting - um, stuff? When there is clearly no information available from the police.

There is nothing libellous in saying 'X has happened, man arrested'. Nothing.

So the fact they are not even saying anything? Bit odd

Stabbing. 18 yo man arrested.

They've just reported it on Times Radio. A man was stabbed yesterday evening. An 18 year old man has been arrested.