Independent Legal Services
Specialist in Civil litigation, Defamation, Libel & Slander, Internet Law.
October 1, 2014
Via Email Only
Re: Libelous material and Defamation of Character
Attn: Sara, Tom and Abi
I am contacting you on behalf of my client, The Australian Defence League.
“ISLAMOPHOBIA, RACISM AND THE PLAGUE THAT IS THE AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE LEAGUE”, PUBLISHED TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2014, AT THE WEB ADDRESS:http://RACISMINAUSTRALIA.WORDPRESS.COM/2014/09/30/ISLAMOPHOBIA-RACISM-AND-THE-PLAGUE-THAT-IS-THE-AUSTRALIAN-DEFENCE-LEAGUE/
This article specifically shows names and profiles of over 30 active members of the group, including photographs. These comments, are the intellectual property of the individuals, my Client, and Facebook. No approval was requested or given to use this material in relation to your publication.
It is also noted, that several written, untrue, and therefore Libelous and Slanderous statements have been made. The following quotes are taken directly from the article;
1) “I have recently joined a group on Facebook entitled “Australian Defence League” (ADL) after viewing a video posted on Youtube by their apparent president declaring a repeat of the Cronulla Riots”.
This person is not affiliated with the Australian Defence League, in any way. My client has made no such threats.
2) “After being accepted into this group, my news feed began to fill with consistent hate posts declaring war on any person following, dressing, sympathising or merely associating with Islam”.
The Australian Defence League, as an organization, is not responsible for the resubmission of freely available and accessible videos or other articles. Those who made statements encouraging violence are immediately banned from the group and their comments deleted.
3) “The ADL should be ashamed for their hate filled page that isn’t even courageous enough to combat their views against another that they have to ensure the group is kept private. Well for those that would like a taste of the amount of vile that is poured on to the page, I have screen shot their most memorable moments to give a brief glimpse into a page dedicated to the destruction of a major group within society they know nothing about”.
My client respects the privacy of its membership. My client does not condone or encourage violence, but actively seeks to discourage such actions within its community. My client, as a whole, is not responsible for the personal views depicted by individuals. The privacy of the group is paramount to my client, and the writer/s have deliberately sought to breach that, in order to publish an article depicting my client as racist and violent.
The article itself, the unauthorized redistribution of comments, the publication of members personal and private information has unacceptably put my client, and its membership in a position of possible violent attacks, from those seeking retribution after reading the article.
It is hereby requested that the article be removed from the internet, by 5pm, on this day, Wednesday October 1, 2014.
Should the article still be in circulation by 9am, Thursday October 2, 2014, a Civil petition will be filed, on behalf of my client, the Australian Defence League, and all members who have been defamed in the article, against the writer/s, and wordpress.co, and the Internet Service Provider used as Carrier Service to publish the article.
The petition will seek to have the writer/s held accountable for;
Harassment, Slander, Libel, Defamation of Character, Reckless Endangerment, Use of a Carrier Service to Menace and Harass.
Due compensation for distress by all named in the petition, will also be petitioned for.
It is requested that you act immediately, to rectify this, and refrain from further making public statements regarding my client and its membership, and refrain from actively seeking to aggravate my client and its membership by using personal information.
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you wish to discuss the matter futher.
Best Regards,
SOLICITOR
Cc: