Several media outlets, including Skynews, The Daily Mail, and the ABC, recently reported that the driver of the Hunter Valley Bus, involved in a crash that resulted in the death of 10 people and injured 25, allegedly gave the media the middle finger as he was released on bail from Cessnock Police Station.
However, ABC’s Paul Barry has challenged this narrative and debunked the claim that the driver gave the middle finger to the media pack awaiting his release. Upon analysis of the available video footage, it is evident that a single still image was used by the media to suggest that the bus driver made an offensive gesture towards the media.
A close examination of the video reveals that the driver briefly wiggled his fingers, and for less than a second, his middle finger appeared to be extended, creating the illusion of him giving the finger. This situation bears similarities to a photograph depicting a man supposedly punching a police horse during a COVID lockdown protest. However, upon watching the video, it becomes clear that the man did not actually punch the horse; rather, a single frame of the video gave the false impression that he did.
It is worth noting that The Daily Mail has since corrected their initial story regarding the bus driver’s alleged middle finger gesture.