The newspaper columnist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown has said she
will report a Conservative councillor to the police after he posted a
message on Twitter saying it would be a blessing if she was
stoned to death.
Birmingham councillor Gareth Compton called it a
glib
comment in reaction to the writer's appearance on Nicky
Campbell's Radio 5 Live breakfast show.
Can someone please stone Yasmin Alibhai-Brown to
death? I shan't tell Amnesty if you don't. It would be a blessing,
really, he tweeted from his iPhone.
Alibhai-Brown ludicrously claimed that she regarded
his comments as incitement to murder. The journalist, who writes
columns for the Evening Standard and the Independent, told the
Guardian: It's really upsetting. My teenage daughter is really
upset too. It's really scared us. You just don't do this. I have a lot
of threats on my life. It's incitement. I'm going to the police – I
want them to know that a law's been broken.
She added that she regarded Compton's remarks as
racially motivated because he mentioned stoning.
The councillor claimed she had said, with reference to
David Cameron's trip to China, that no politician was morally qualified
to speak out about human rights abuses, including the stoning of women,
bar the likes of Nelson Mandela.
Compton, who later apologised on Twitter, added: Twitter
is
a forum for glib comment of the moment. It was a glib comment. Who
could possibly think it was serious? Obviously I apologise. No offence
was intended.
Update: Throwing Stones at Gareth Compton
12th November 2010. Based on article
from bbc.co.uk
A Conservative Birmingham City councillor has been
arrested over ludicrous allegations that he called on Twitter for
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown to be stoned to death.
Erdington councillor Gareth Compton made the remark
about the newspaper columnist on his Twitter page. He called it a
glib comment in reaction to the writer's appearance on Nicky
Campbell's Radio 5 Live breakfast show. Can someone please stone
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown to death? I shan't tell Amnesty if you don't. It
would be a blessing, really, he flippantly tweeted from his iPhone.
Police said he had been arrested under the
Communications Act 2003 and bailed.
He has since apologised.
Alibhai-Brown said she found his attitude loathsome
and that a flippant apology was not enough.
The Conservative Party has said his membership has
been suspended indefinitely pending further investigation.
Roger McKenzie, Unison's West Midlands regional
secretary, said he had been inundated with complaints from city council
workers outraged at Compton's comments and he called on Compton to
resign from the council. He said: Birmingham is a multicultural
city and the council's workforce reflect this. It is clear that
Councillor Compton is out-of-touch with both his city and the council
staff. It is wholly unacceptable for a public official to make such
racist comments. Councillor Compton must resign his seat immediately.
Update: Radio 5 Live
15th November 2010. Based on article
from guardian.co.uk by Evan Harris
As the
Telegraph reports the controversial tweet included the hashtag #R5L
at the end. This would alert those who see the tweet to the fact he is
responding to something he had just heard on Radio 5 Live. In other
words, it provides important context.
Alibhai-Brown had, on the 5 Live programme, been
arguing, in the context of David Cameron's China visit, that no western
politician who supported the war in Iraq had neither the moral
authority to lecture China about human rights nor lecture Iran about
stoning.
Compton clearly thought this was a ridiculous point
and expressed that view aggressively via his tweet:
Can someone please stone
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown to death? I shan't tell Amnesty if you don't. It
would be a blessing, really.
Update: Moralising about easy offence
16th November 2010. Based on
article from birminghampost.net
The easily offended newspaper columnist who threatened to
call the police after a Birmingham councillor joked that she should be
stoned to death has announced that she does not want him to face
charges.
Newspaper columnist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown said: My
objections have been made and there is no need for more. She said
she had decided not to press charges against Birmingham Councillor
Gareth Compton (Lab Erdington), who made the comment using internet
messaging service Twitter last week.
Writing in The Independent, she said: Some crazed
demons on Twitter believe anything goes. Written words matter and hold
meanings beyond that narcissistic urge to send off instant thoughts.
The Tory councillor who sent out a vile and scary message about me says
it was a joke. After some thought I decided I will not press charges.
My objections have been made and there is no need for more.
But she said she was disturbed by some of the comments
made about the incident, and her response, in blogs and on Twitter: Yet
having
read many blogs and tweets that followed the incident, I do
wonder whether our manners and morals will survive and if English
itself, the best thing about us, is now seriously endangered.
Of course the Crown Prosecution Service may yet decide
to press charges themselves.
Update: Prosecution Continues
17th November 2010. Based on article
from birminghampost.net
Police are continuing an investigation into allegations
that a Birmingham councillor called for a newspaper columnist to be
stoned to death, despite the journalist announcing she did not want him
to face charges.
West Midlands Police said it would be up to officers
and the Crown Prosecution Service to decide whether to charge Coun
Gareth Compton (Con Erdington) who made the comment using internet
messaging service Twitter last week.
