Parents protest over special-needs-row councillorsDozens of protesters have gathered at Warwickshire County Council headquarters after three councillors were accused of making offensive comments about children with special needs.
Holding placards, the campaigners stood outside Shire Hall ahead of a meeting to approve the county council's annual budget before gathering in the chamber gallery.
“As parents and carers, we’re all just a bit fed up of jumping through hoops and this week’s comments just tipped us over the edge,” said Abbie Mundy, a mum of two, one of whom is autistic.
“The language used was damaging and they really need to take responsibility for their words.
“As soon as I saw the video, I felt sick, it’s out of date and they need to be educated more on SEND, they are making these decisions but they know nothing about it.”
Another protester said the councillors’ comments “suggested that institutions back in the 1960s and 1970s were appropriate for children when they absolutely were not, they were barbaric”.
She added: “We are waiting for their resignations, they do not represent us, we will not stand for their discriminatory views any longer.”
A third commented: “What I heard broke me, it makes you question what else are they saying? I have a five year old with autism and he deserves better.”
The Labour MP for Warwick and Leamington, Matt Western, also weighed in on the row, blasting the remarks as “disgraceful”, and calling for Brian Hammersley, Jeff Morgan and Clare Golby - who were not at the meeting - to resign.
An online petition, which also calls for the politicians to be removed from their roles, amassed more than 22,000 signatures in fewer than three days.
Mr Hammersley told the BBC that a TikTok video that mixes his words with images depicting restrained children was "untrue" and a "total fabrication".
Selected comments from all three councillors were edited together in a video that was posted to the SEND Reform England account, which has more than 16,800 followers.
Audio from the clips continued as pictures cut away to black and white images depicting children in straitjackets, tied to radiators and preparing to be caned.
The video has been viewed more than 307,000 times on the channel alone, with users encouraged to “share this everywhere”.
A council-funded provider of autism awareness training courses in Warwickshire has offered to provide classes for the councillors to attend.
Tessa Morton, founder of Act for Autism, said “We’re not going to blame anybody for their ignorance. We’re going to help them understand.”
She said there are conferences coming up in the county this year.
Ms Morton said: “I would encourage, possibly invite those councillors to come to our conference. They are more than welcome to come, no charge. We’d love to see them there.”