FOX has pulled all scheduled repeats of the 4th episode of the shocking 24: Legacy that included footage of the horrific real-life Westgate Mall terrorism attack for terror-tainment purposes.
On Friday afternoon FOX (DStv 125 / StarSat 131), seen in South Africa and across Africa on MultiChoice's DStv and on China's StarTimes South Africa and On Digital Media's StarSat, rushed to scrub its schedule of the controversial 4th episode of the new 24: Legacy that used inserted real CCTV camera footage of terrorists attacking and killing people in Kenya's Westgate Mall.
24: Legacy, produced by 20th Century Fox Television, Imagine Television and Teakwood Lane Productions for FOX, used the Westgate terror attack as a fictional terrorism attack elsewhere in Africa for the episode entitled "3:00 PM – 4:00 PM".
In the Westgate terror attack in 2013 in Nairobi 67 people were killed and 175 people wounded.
Kenyan and African viewers immediately noticed the 10 seconds of included screen time in the drama, and reacted with shock and horror that the FOX show would use actual terrorism footage for an entertainment drama and then "redress" it for another fictional terror attack.
"This is the footage from Al-Jegrad market in Alexandria Egypt three years ago. The attack was planned and executed by Bin Khalid and his men," a character says while 24: Legacy showed the Westgate Mall attack in the latest episode that left African audiences shocked and angry.
FOX has now pulled the insensitive 4th episode of 24: Legacy deemed highly disrespectful to Kenya and the families of everyone who lost people in the real terrorism attack from all its Sunday and Monday's repeat slots for African and international viewers.
So far there's been no public statement from the FOX Networks Group and FOX Networks Group Africa general manager Gary Alfonso responsible for FOX and the set of Fox channels and content distributed by FNG Africa in South Africa and across Africa.
In a statement from the 24: Legacy executive producers, Evan Katz and Manny Coto says: "In episode 4 of 24: Legacy we regretfully included news footage of an attack in Nairobi. It will be removed from all future broadcasts and versions of the show. We apologize for any pain caused to the victims and their families and are deeply sorry."
The Kenya Film Classification Board in a statement calls FOX and 24: Legacy's use of the real-life footage "repulsive, insensitive and a reckless piece of art that heartlessly evokes the painful memories of the tragic terror attack".
"It flies in the face of basic considerations of human dignity, in total disregard of the feelings of the victims and their families. It is not only an inaccurate and false narrative of the Westgate terror attack, but also a callous piece of entertainment that demeans Africans and Kenyans in particular."
"We are disturbed that 24: Legacy chose to demean and indeed invade into the grief and painful emotions of the tragic Westgate attack. The board condemns in the strongest terms possible this irresponsible piece of entertainment and promises to get to the bottom of this matter as soon as possible".
On social media the topic started trending under #SomeoneTellFox.
I'm imagining what would happen if someone used 9/11 footage for entertainment just like @FOXTV has with #WestGate attack #SomeoneTellFox— Gerald Cheruiyot (@Cheruiyot931) February 23, 2017
#SomeoneTellFox they ought have spent money & reenact the scenes.Using Westgate horror for entertainment purposes was just soo sad @FOXTV— Keith (@Kachumbarikiasi) February 24, 2017
#SomeoneTellFox That it's insensitive to use that clip, Why not the '93 twin towers bombing?— Sarah Richard (@SarahRi85339067) February 24, 2017
#SomeoneTellFox your actions are genuinely disgusting. The fact that shit like this was allowed to air is an insult to in human decency— Theodore Ouya (@the_ouya) February 24, 2017
They thought we'd be too preoccupied with hunting and gathering to notice that clip is from Westgate. #SomeoneTellFox https://t.co/gCnGPfJvxx— MUREGA (@TsarNjoroge) February 24, 2017
#SomeoneTellFox how would they feel if we used their school shootings footage in our shows.— joyce kiki (@kuvisko) February 24, 2017
#SomeoneTellFox .....This is the only fox we know...Using our tragedy for your legacy is an all time low! pic.twitter.com/KC09Xw9eYA— ლ◉◞Mseto ◉ლ (@Kiptoo_Patricks) February 24, 2017
#SomeoneTellFox we no longer live in caves. We have TVs n know Kiefer Sutherland aka Jack Bauer could not have allowed such sh*t to happen!— Geoffrey Mwangi (@geffmwangih) February 24, 2017
#SomeoneTellFox so Alexandria market have an elephant as their trade mark? I am black, I have eyes that see and a brain that works @FOXTV— October The 28th (@Derny_el) February 24, 2017
