Midnight police raid on disability campaigner over Facebook messages

1 Nov 2012 | Uncategorized

Blogger Tom Pride has an alarming story of a Welsh disability activist getting a visit from local police, apparently because of Facebook posts critical of the government.

According to the blog, the anonymous activist said:

I’ve just had the police forcing their way into my flat near midnight and harrassing me about my “criminal” posts on Facebook about the DWP [Department for Work and Pensions], accusing me of being “obstructive”. I didn’t know what in f**k’s name they were on about. They kept going on and on at me, it was horrifically stressful, and they only left after I started crying uncontrollably.

The “visit” is alleged to have taken place on Friday, 26 October at 11.40pm.

The activist has now filed a complaint to South Wales Police, as well as a Subject Access request and a Freedom of Information request, demanding to know why South Wales Police felt it appropriate to send officers to her house late at night in order to warn her about her online interaction. Police also allegedly asked her about her involvement in an anti-cuts protest.

She asks some questions that should provide some very interesting answers:

How much time/manpower/money does South Wales Police invest in monitoring Facebook post (a) generally, (b) of people involved in Disabled People Against Cuts or other disability campaigning groups and individuals.

Why was I visited by South Wales Police officers on Friday night 26th October? Who sent the officers (name, rank), and on what grounds?

Why was I told my Facebook posts are criminal?

Did anyone complain about my Facebook posts? If so, who? If no-one complained, why was I questioned?

Why was I asked whether I organised/was involved in the deportation protest on Saturday 27th.

Read the full complaint and information request at Tom Pride

Also read: Is the law on social media a bad joke?

Padraig Reidy is News Editor at Index on Censorship. Follow him on Twitter @mePadraigReidy

South Park Jesus saves Belarus and Pussy Riot

1 Nov 2012 | Uncategorized

Last night’s episode of South Park took in a few issues close to our hearts at Index: Belarus, Pussy Riot and the Lance Armstrong doping scandal.

Briefly, in an effort to clean up his image after being exposed as an Armstrongish drug cheat, Jesus Christ begins to campaign on behalf of Belarusian farmers struggling against their government.


The cause becomes a hit — or at least, the coloured plastic bracelets associated with it becomes a hit.

At the end of the episode, Jesus appears in a “Save Pussy Riot” T-shirt.

The episode raises questions about people’s engagement with causes. As Ryan McGee put in at AV Club:

Are they motivated by empathy? By cultural pressure? By the desire to overcompensate for selfish behavior? By the desire to belong to a group? All options are possible, and all play out in one shape or another in tonight’s installment. Mr. Mackey really, really cares about those Belarusian farmers. But he also only cares about them so long as they justify his purchase of a bracelet proclaiming his support of them.

Anyway, apart from all the serious business, the episode does look very, very funny. You can watch some clips here.

Padraig Reidy is news editor of Index on Censorship. Follow him on Twitter – @mePadraigReidy

 

You may also like:

UK asylum granted for former Belarusian political prisoner 

Freed Pussy Riot member on why they’re here to stay

Belarus and the battle for artistic freedom

 

Greece: Another journalist arrested as crackdown continues

31 Oct 2012 | Europe and Central Asia, Index Index, minipost, News and features

Greek journalist Spiros Karatzaferis was arrested today (31 October) for after threatening to publish damaging allegations about the country’s struggling economy. Karatzaferis said he had obtained information from hacking collective Anonymous, allegedly containing classified documents and email exchanges relating to Greece’s financial bailout from international funders.

According to the Greek Reporer, Karatzaferis said authorities had used an old warrant relating to a libel case to arrest him.

His arrest comes just days after that of investigative journalist Kostas Vaxevanis for exposing alleged tax cheats, signalling a worrying attack on free speech in the country.

This post was edited for clarity at 16:52 GMT on 31/10/12

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