That car chase

[kirinm]

www.thedailybeast.com/prince-harry-and-meghan-markle-actually-were-dangerously-chased-in-manhattan-nypd-says

So they weren't lying and instead the NYPD were lying.

I wonder if this will be picked up by any of the papers here.

the NYPD found that the chase in May really did happen, and has concluded that the behavior of the paparazzi chasing Harry and Meghan was not just “reckless” but also “persistently dangerous.”

the NYPD has said the city not only holds enough evidence to arrest two people for reckless endangerment, but has also upgraded its security protocol for visits by Prince Harry and Meghan following the incident last May.

Thanks for this. Yes, they were Ince again subjected to mocking and nastiness after this and as this article states, it happened and it has resulted in an upgrade to security for their visits in future.

I remember on Mumsnet numerous tasteless and disgusting threads laughing and once again accusing them of lying.

In a letter to the Metropolitan Police in London dated Dec. 6 2023, the NYPD’s Chief of Intelligence discussed “certain changes to the security posture that will be afforded to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex” following a “thorough review” of the incident.

The intelligence chief wrote: “We found the following: reckless disregard of vehicle and traffic laws and persistently dangerous and unacceptable behavior on the part of the paparazzi during the night in question.

“The individuals operated vehicles, scooters, and bicycles in a manner that forced the security team, which included an NYPD Lead Car, to take evasive actions on several occasions and a circuitous route to avoid being struck by pursuing vehicles or trapped on side blocks.

“Our conclusion, upon review with the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, is that we have sufficient evidence to arrest two individuals for reckless endangerment.”

There is a bit in today's judgment (paragraph 135) that hasn't been included in the thread so far.

.....a thorough review of the incident had taken place and although no formal charges were brought against the parties involved at the time, we did conclude that the behaviour in question was reckless. (The next part of the judgment details the report, as already posted).

In NYC, reckless endangerment is charged as a misdemeanor if no-one was hurt. If convicted, it carries a sentence of up to 1 year in prison. Thankfully there were no reported injuries.

No arrests have been made to date (28th Feb 2024). The letter/report on the incident saying there was enough evidence to make arrests was sent on 6th December 2023. I don't know if the NYPD are likely to pursue these arrests at this stage.

The Daily Beast article has also used words that are not in the letter with regards to the NYPD. They said:
"....also upgraded its security protocol....."

The wording of the letter actually says:
"....certain changes to the security posture...."

Hopefully these changes will lead to more effective strategies between the NYPD and Harry’s private security team for future visits.

The Independent have picked up the story.

I certainly didn't believe them at the time. The trouble is, that if you exaggerate and make stuff up, people will think you're doing that all the time.

It’s a shame they weren’t able to speak up earlier. Would have saved H&M some bitter stress, I imagine. It must have felt like gaslighting.

Had the incident been reported in the same tone as what is in the judgement it may have had slightly less negative attention, but the tone from Scobie initial reporting with catastrophic near fatal hyperbole didn’t help how the news was perceived

The trouble is, that if you exaggerate and make stuff up, people will think you're doing that all the time.

Truer words about the British/tabloid media were never said!

Lots of people on these threads haven't cottoned-on to the second part of the statement, though.

The boy that cried wolf.

They were mocked, insulted and laughed at over the course of hundreds of posts

It's nothing to do with crying wolf.

I think in general more will come out over the years like this.

They were mocked about 'a high speed car chase' there is nothing in that letter that mentions anything about high speed, or a car chase.

This is what the letter said

'reckless disregard of vehicle and traffic laws and persistently dangerous and unacceptable behaviour'

My apologies @kirinm! I cross-created a second thread!

catastrophic near fatal hyperbole didn’t help how the news was perceived

“The individuals operated vehicles, scooters, and bicycles in a manner that forced the security team, which included an NYPD Lead Car, to take evasive actions on several occasions and a circuitous route to avoid being struck by pursuing vehicles or trapped on side blocks.”

You may not remember what happened but many of us do. The statement was put out as a warning shot to papers like the Daily Mail and the Express to be mindful about publishing the pictures from the taxi because of how they were obtained. They were the 2 papers that had those pictures the very next morning. There was a brief moment when the Mail took down the taxi pictures because of that statement and then the narrative shift came with people trying to disprove any and all of it and then the pictures became fair game. I would contend that the chase was as serious as it was described on the night.

The police may describe it as reckless and unacceptable behaviour but to be the person being chased and around that reckless driving and unacceptable behaviour is Kilroy to have been terrifying.

That is the biggest exercise in hair splitting I've ever seen!

They were mocked about 'a high speed car chase' there is nothing in that letter that mentions anything about high speed, or a car chase.

This is what the letter said

'reckless disregard of vehicle and traffic laws and persistently dangerous and unacceptable behaviour'

How was there reckless disregard of vehicle and traffic laws and persistently dangerous and unacceptable behaviour? What were they doing? Doing wheelies in the streets? Doing stunt jumps?

That is the biggest exercise in hair splitting I've ever seen!

Said better than me

Well exactly!

Donuts in central park quite obviously!

I don’t think Harry and Meghan called it a high speed car chase. I do remember Piers Morgan changing it to that though trying to stir trouble.

Wasn’t the reckless behaviour in relation to pedestrians and other road users though? I seem to remember this was mentioned in the original coverage. I don’t think that it was ever seriously suggested that the Sussexes were in danger. No one was injured or arrested. I don’t think anyone doubted that something took place. The mick taking was due to their hyperbole and this letter does little to mitigate that

I thought two people were arrested?

Weirdly it looks like the police statement says they had enough evidence to arrest two people, but then those arrests never took place.

It was Scobie that said it reached speeds of 80mph

When any woman joins the Royal Family there needs to be some kind of legal protocol and protection put in place immediately to protect them, when Diana, Sarah, Catherine and Meghan all joined the Royal Family each of them went through (and in most cases still going through) unbearable and unbelievable abuse thanks to our different media outlets.

I remember what all four women have been through throughout the years and none of them have had it worse or better than another as all of them have been abused, stalked and harassed and there now needs to be punishment put in place to protect these women. stalking and harassment is against the law and there now needs to punishment for those responsible

We all know what happened to Diana and how that ended but only a decade or two later we are still seeing it happening to Catherine & Meghan on a daily basis and even Sarah has it occasionally whether that’s paparazzi on foot, in vehicles, or through both the media and social media, , it is truly awful and most importantly unlawful, none of those women deserve that kind of intrusion and nor did they ask for it, I hope their close friends and families are supporting them.

I hope every woman who is in the public eye or in some kind of public facing role which bring them into the public gaze is getting support from somewhere because no matter who you are you do not deserve that kind abuse

80mph in Manhattan 😆

I agree. I think it's a shame that people have this attitude that this treatment should be expected and should be sucked up and not complained about