Wednesday 22 February 2017

Facebook Suspend Anti-Racist Campaigner

Social Media giants Facebook yesterday suspended an anti-racist campaigner - for an anti-Nazi post made on the Portsmouth Nazi Watch FB page in June of last year!

The post, made on 18th June 2016, two days after the disgraceful murder of British MP Jo Cox, featured this photograph of her murderer, Thomas Mair, giving a Nazi salute:


The caption of the photograph started, "Here he is, the "quiet, timid and lonely" gardener known as Thomas Mair...giving the Nazi salute."

 The caption then went on the detail the murderers links with far-right groups and ideology, after the national media attempted to gloss over Mair's neo-Nazi links.

 This post was vindicated in court over the coming months, as his ties with fascist groups and organisations came to light during his trial.

 Mair was convicted of Jo Cox MP's murder in November of last year.

 It is apparent that someone, quite probably involved in neo-Nazi politics, has trawled through our page attempting to find anything they could report to Facebook for being in breach of their 'Community Standards' - the post was eight months old so wouldn't have suddenly appeared in their newsfeed.

 But the larger question if why have Facebook removed it and suspended the author. It was a legitimate news post carrying legitimate and since verified news. It in no way breaches any of Facebooks 'Community Standards'.

 We could understand if someone took offence by a post glorifying or glamourising the murderer, defending him in some way or frivolously posting a picture of him giving a Nazi salute - but it was none of these things. It was an anti-racist post on a well-known anti-Nazi page!

 Despite two attempts to appeal this erroneous decision 'Jenny' from Facebook's 'Community Operation' department has sent back the same automated message twice, assuring us, " We review reports carefully to make sure we take the correct action. We'll remove something from Facebook if it goes against our Community Standards".




This is clearly not the case.

We urge Facebook to reverse this ludicrous decision and for all anti-racists to contact Facebook in protest (Case #388792672)

info@facebook.com
disabled@facebook.com
info-rt@facebook.com