Top Gear car plates case to be reopened in Argentina

[webfact]

Top Gear car plates case to be reopened in Argentina
By Ignacio de los Reyes
Argentina correspondent

(BBC) A judge in Argentina has been told to reopen a criminal investigation into former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson's infamous drive through the country.

Filming of a Top Gear special was abandoned last year following protests over a number plate on a Porsche which Clarkson was driving.

The plate - which appeared to reference the 1982 Falklands War - was replaced.

Earlier this year, a local judge ruled the Top Gear team had not acted in "bad faith" in changing the plates.

But a court has now ruled the investigation be reopened, saying the crew swapped the plates knowing it was illegal.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-34675073

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-34675073

-- BBC 2015-11-02

[rawhod]

Pathetic...

[ezzra]

The Argentinian economy is in the crapper and this judge is fussing about a frivolous case, pride, right or wrong, can not feed a nations Mr. Judge....

[Old Croc]

Are they pursuing charges against the rioters who viscously attacked the film crew with deadly intent?

[cookee68]

Pathetic...

Yep that about sums it up, and even if found guilty they can do jack shit to them, i notice the people who attacked them were not charged, south America, that says it all there, no more educated than Mexico

[robblok]

Pathetic...

By the ones using a plate to humiliate their host country. Yes pathetic indeed of Top Gear.

[7by7]

Wilman and Clarkson have consistently denied that they deliberately chose a car with that registration; as it says in the article linked to in the OP

Wilman said at the time: "Top Gear production purchased three cars for a forthcoming programme; to suggest that this car was either chosen for its number plate, or that an alternative number plate was substituted for the original is completely untrue."

As widely reported at the time, DVLA records show that H982FLK is the original VRN for the vehicle. It was changed to a personalised VRN at one point, but reverted to the original VRN, presumably because the then owner sold it and transferred their personalised VRN to another vehicle, long before Top Gear purchased it.

However, the Top Gear team did change the plate after they had been attacked and received death threats; presumably in an attempt to escape without further violence. So, I guess, technically they are guilty.

It should be remembered that up until this incident, the film crew and cast had received full cooperation and assistance from the Argentinian authorities; authorities who then assisted their escape from the mob.

[robblok]

Ok, that is new for me, then I retract my remark. The plates did resemble an remembrance to the Falkland war and I just would not have put it past Clarkson.

But if your info is tru 7by7 (no reason to doubt it) then I was wrong.

[ozyjon]

At least they have cheap fuel.

[RuamRudy]

The Argentinian economy is in the crapper and this judge is fussing about a frivolous case, pride, right or wrong, can not feed a nations Mr. Judge....

But, as governments the world over know only too well, the creation of foreign bogey men help distract the plebs from the real causes of their woes.

[stoneyboy]

Pathetic...

By the ones using a plate to humiliate their host country. Yes pathetic indeed of Top Gear.

Of course it was done to take the piss,fair play to them.

Another colonial travesty that British haters like to play on,the Falklands in the middle of nowhere,which the British under Mrs Thatcher defended tooth and nail due to the islands being mostly inhabited by British Falkland Islanders.

Said car and number plate.

brezhnev took afghanistan

begin took beirut

galtieri took the union jack

and maggie over lunch one day

took a cruiser with all hands

apparently to make him give it back

[robblok]

@stoneyboy

Nothing wrong with the Brits defending the Falklands, well done i say. They were yours and as you said inhabited by Brits.

But its just stupid and petty to drive with a car like that in Argentina. You can expect problems there. (though its almost 40 years ago)

But what you said is different what 7by7 says.

[RuamRudy]

Pathetic...

By the ones using a plate to humiliate their host country. Yes pathetic indeed of Top Gear.

Of course it was done to take the piss,fair play to them.

Another colonial travesty that British haters like to play on,the Falklands in the middle of nowhere,which the British under Mrs Thatcher defended tooth and nail due to the islands being mostly inhabited by British Falkland Islanders.

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1446470412.524127.jpg

Said car and number plate.

brezhnev took afghanistan

begin took beirut

galtieri took the union jack

and maggie over lunch one day

took a cruiser with all hands

apparently to make him give it back

As a Brit, I cannot but support the country in defending their territory, but the glorification of the sinking of the General Belgrano is shameful.

[stoneyboy]

Pathetic...

By the ones using a plate to humiliate their host country. Yes pathetic indeed of Top Gear.

Of course it was done to take the piss,fair play to them.

Another colonial travesty that British haters like to play on,the Falklands in the middle of nowhere,which the British under Mrs Thatcher defended tooth and nail due to the islands being mostly inhabited by British Falkland Islanders.

ImageUploadedByThaivisa Connect1446470412.524127.jpg

Said car and number plate.

brezhnev took afghanistan

begin took beirut

galtieri took the union jack

and maggie over lunch one day

took a cruiser with all hands

apparently to make him give it back

As a Brit, I cannot but support the country in defending their territory, but the glorification of the sinking of the General Belgrano is shameful.

That's what happens during conflict I'm afraid.

[7by7]

Going off topic a bit; but why are we supposed to be ashamed of the sinking of the Belgrano, yet it was perfectly acceptable for the Argentinian navy to sink the Sheffield, Atlantic Conveyor etc.?

Don't anyone say because the Belgrano was at the time sailing away from the Task Force; ships can turn around!

The Bismarck was heading for port when she was sank, the Tirpitz holed up in a fjord; should we be ashamed of those sinkings too?

Ridiculous.

As for a song glorifying it; why not ban all songs glorifying victories in war? Flower of Scotland for example!

Edited November 2, 2015 by 7by7

[RuamRudy]

Going off topic a bit; but why are we supposed to be ashamed of the sinking of the Belgrano, yet it was perfectly acceptable for the Argentinian navy to sink the Sheffield, Atlantic Conveyor etc.?

Don't anyone say because the Belgrano was at the time sailing away from the Task Force; ships can turn around!

The Bismarck was heading for port when she was sank, the Tirpitz holed up in a fjord; should we be ashamed of those sinkings too?

Ridiculous.

As for a song glorifying it; why not ban all songs glorifying victories in war? Flower of Scotland for example!

I was referring to the ditty that made light of the incident. The incident itself was as regrettable as every other aspect of the pointless war (pointless from the Argentinian side) but is an expected result of a foolish land grab. The glorification of the sinking is what I object to. It maybe isn't as sickening as the Scum headline, but it isn't necessary. Kids not a lot older than me at the time died in the Belgrano, in a war they didn't want to be part of.

I have no idea if the Argentinians sang or still sing songs celebrating the sinking of the Sheffield or the Coventry. I sincerely hope not.

Edited November 2, 2015 by RuamRudy

[jesimps]

Pathetic...

By the ones using a plate to humiliate their host country. Yes pathetic indeed of Top Gear.

That's about the same amount of support we got from your lot during the Falklands war. Good job we didn't have the same attitude during WW2.

[mutha289]

So what is the court hoping for . . . to get Clarkson fired!!!??? Oh, never mind.

[Thongkorn]

Going off topic a bit; but why are we supposed to be ashamed of the sinking of the Belgrano, yet it was perfectly acceptable for the Argentinian navy to sink the Sheffield, Atlantic Conveyor etc.?

Don't anyone say because the Belgrano was at the time sailing away from the Task Force; ships can turn around!

The Bismarck was heading for port when she was sank, the Tirpitz holed up in a fjord; should we be ashamed of those sinkings too?

Ridiculous.

As for a song glorifying it; why not ban all songs glorifying victories in war? Flower of Scotland for example!

The Argentine Navy was warned NOT TO PUT TO SEA, Mrs Thatcher made the final decision to sink the Belgrano.It was done to prove Britain had Submarines in the area, It was similar to the The Vulcan that made the longest bombing run in the world, it did little damage but proved Argentina was wit in reach of britain's planes.

[jacko45k]

So what is the court hoping for . . . to get Clarkson fired!!!??? Oh, never mind.

I saw Clarkson doing an advert for a dongle yesterday on ITV, he must need another Porche.

It would strike me as quite difficult to get a vehicle with a specific (and legal) number plate in a foreign country.

[exbikey]

Going off topic a bit; but why are we supposed to be ashamed of the sinking of the Belgrano, yet it was perfectly acceptable for the Argentinian navy to sink the Sheffield, Atlantic Conveyor etc.?

Don't anyone say because the Belgrano was at the time sailing away from the Task Force; ships can turn around!

The Bismarck was heading for port when she was sank, the Tirpitz holed up in a fjord; should we be ashamed of those sinkings too?

Ridiculous.

As for a song glorifying it; why not ban all songs glorifying victories in war? Flower of Scotland for example!

The Argentine Navy was warned NOT TO PUT TO SEA, Mrs Thatcher made the final decision to sink the Belgrano.It was done to prove Britain had Submarines in the area, It was similar to the The Vulcan that made the longest bombing run in the world, it did little damage but proved Argentina was wit in reach of britain's planes.

'Vulcan 607'

The story of the longest bombing raid. A great read.

[HooHaa]

Pathetic...

By the ones using a plate to humiliate their host country. Yes pathetic indeed of Top Gear.

That's about the same amount of support we got from your lot during the Falklands war. Good job we didn't have the same attitude during WW2.

im always amused to read posts by people whos identity is entirely wrapped up in patriotism.

given this is a retirement community, i would not be altogether surprised to discover you were a ww2 veteran, but i wouldn't hold my breath that that's what you meant by "we"

[SoiBiker]

This is a retirement community?

I know there's a lot of you old chaps about, but I didn't think you owned the place.

Anyway, if Top Gear broke the law, they should expect to be punished. They became increasingly arrogant about their 'antics' which, perhaps not coincidentally, became less and less funny and more and more xenophobic. That show should have been put out of it's misery years ago.

[billd766]

Pathetic...

By the ones using a plate to humiliate their host country. Yes pathetic indeed of Top Gear.

That's about the same amount of support we got from your lot during the Falklands war. Good job we didn't have the same attitude during WW2.

im always amused to read posts by people whos identity is entirely wrapped up in patriotism.

given this is a retirement community, i would not be altogether surprised to discover you were a ww2 veteran, but i wouldn't hold my breath that that's what you meant by "we"

I am retired but I was on active service during the Falklands war.

Contrary to your opinion patriotism is still around and quite popular, certainly in the UK and in the USA, both of whom are proud of their veterans as I am.

[Lokie]

Top Gear were taking the urine and got their deserts, they knew exactly what the plate was to refer too and for cheap laughs choose to take the risk of poking fun at the Argies, I don't blame them for the reaction, Tope Gear nearly got the same when filming in the US down in a southern state and tried it on about an Hicky town and referanced things on the vehicles to again extract the urine, they soon shat themselves and took off when some ol girl rang up her Hicky breatheran lol... Clarkson used to be good he is now just an A$$ as the other two overated throBBers are - too big for their boots, the new thing they got will wither and die as they are not really that good, Top Gear with Evans will go on to bigger and better, we will see

[roo860]

Just tell the Argies to <deleted> off!

[MaeJoMTB]

Pathetic...

By the ones using a plate to humiliate their host country. Yes pathetic indeed of Top Gear.

They started it!