Sarah Phillimore is over halfway to her target
£12,000+ in one day!
Sarah is halfway to her target after a single day. Here’s Sarah’s timeline of events that led her to take legal action.
A report was made to the Wiltshire police in December 2019 alleging I had been 'hateful' to religious and transgender people. The tweets in question can be seen by clicking the link in this post from the Fair Cop blog.
I discovered this in July 2020 after an anonymous account boasted on Twitter that I had a ‘record of hate for life’ and I made a Subject Access Request to Wiltshire police. This prompted my application in January 2021 for permission to judicially review the lawfulness of the Hate Crimes Guidance as I do not accept I have expressed ‘hatred’ towards either Jewish or transgender people. I have denied in my statement to the High Court that I am an anti-Semite or any kind of bigot. I have provided a statement from a Jewish friend of 30 years standing who confirms our friendship could not have endured if I was.
Jan 14th 2021 – 12 hour suspension for tweeting “O I am sure he will. I usually get at least one amusing complaint every few months” (in reply to ‘Frank’)
Jan 15th 2021 – 12 hour suspension for tweeting ”You Whore of Babylon! Put those tempting limbs away! Lest I am overcome. #wheresmysandwich”. (appears not to be in reply to anyone).
I was suspended on January 25th 2021. This tweet was cited.
"I have a pretty good idea I know exactly who Frank is. One of his group was convicted for harassing me. I just have to be patient and they will author their own misfortune soon enough'.
I was NOT suspended for 'anti Semitism'. I have no idea what I was suspended for, other than perhaps misgendering, so I have appealed against my suspension on that basis.
Twitter emailed me on January 28th 2021 to say that they had reviewed my suspension, had made a mistake and my account would be restored. As of today’s date I remain suspended and have emailed in reply to ask for clarification. Also today my account was briefly unsuspended some time in the morning and I was able to send one tweet. I was then sent the same email twice, at 11.19am and 14.34pm to say my account @SVPhillimore had been suspended for attempting to evade a ban on permanent suspension. I have appealed against this, saying I do not understand it. I cannot attempt to evade a permanent ban using an account that is already suspended.
Shortly after my suspension it was clear that a group of people apparently led by David Paisley were characterising my suspension on Twitter as due to anti Semitism and transphobia. When Joanna Cherry QC tweeted in anger about my suspension, she was attacked as supporting an anti-semite and member of a Hate Group. I was particularly upset to see Kirsty Blackman quoted in the Scotsman and tweeting as a fact that I was an anti Semite. She has a large number of Twitter followers, I think circa 200K?
Over the weekend I discovered the newspapers articles listed below as I have a Google Alert set up for my name. I emailed both newspapers to complain and both responded immediately – the Scotsman was willing to add a paragraph that I did not accept the allegations were true. The Edinburgh Evening News went even further and removed every comment made by David Paisley – it is worth comparing the original with the amended. In the original David Paisley is quoted as saying this:
“Comparing Jewish people to dogs, threatening to burn down a synagogue, suggesting Jewish people lacked "common sense "to leave Nazi Germany & comparing trans people to the Holocaust. Is this acceptable?”
These are all grotesque misrepresentations of what I said and I consider them very clearly malicious defamation. He cannot possibly in good faith believe what he is saying.
I emailed Kirsty Blackman on Friday giving her until Feb 5th to confirm that she would delete all defamatory tweets from her timeline and promise never to repeat them. To date, I have had no reply.
I also emailed David Paisley and he replied today to say that he would delete one tweet that asserted I was suspended in December for denying the Holocaust (this is a lie) but no others. I replied to say this wasn’t acceptable and requested a correspondence address as this communication was being had via his agent, being the only contact details I could find.
I copied my solicitor into this correspondence and hope to speak to him on February 5th to discuss ways forward. I assume there is a pre action protocol with which I will have to comply. I will need to set up a Go Fund Me account or similar to raise money as I only have about £2K to spare for legal fees.
Archived Defamation links
Scotsman Article, amended on 30th January after my email
Edinburgh News article 29th January – quotes DP alleging I want to burn down a synagogue. This is untrue. https://archive.is/1Qo2c
This article was revised on 1st February to remove all reference to me after I complained. https://archive.is/G75nh
David Paisley Tweets
27th Jan 85 likes
27th Jan – claims my account suspended in December for a tweet about the Holocaust. This is not true.
Tweets alleging I am a Holocaust denier
There are a variety of other tweets that I am in the process of collecting. It seems very clear to me that there is now a narrative on Twitter than I have been suspended for anti-Semitism and I am a Holocaust denier. In light of the damages awarded to Jack Monroe in Monroe v Hopkins (circa £30K) I am hoping that I can realistically expect damages in excess of this.
Sarah Phillimore
Here’s our interview with Sarah again, and here’s the audio version.
Great to see the crowdfunder is going well. Sarah was brilliant on The Mess We're In (as was everyone else as usual). It's definitely worth watching if you haven't.
Great to see how well the crowdfunder is going. I've spotted some dodgy tweets that may or may not be helpful to Sarah.
She may already be aware of course but happy to forward them on if needed.