Stella Creasy: MP argues police gave ‘inexperienced mild’ to stranger who tried to get her children taken away
A senior MP has accused police of giving the “green light” to web trolls after a vexatious criticism noticed her subjected to a social providers investigation.
Stella Creasy was advised her harasser wouldn’t face felony sanctions as a result of he was “entitled” to his view her youngsters must be taken into care due to her “extreme” views, she advised Sky News.
The man didn’t personally know the Labour MP or her two youngsters however disagreed along with her campaigning in opposition to misogyny and her name to be allowed in the voting chamber with her breastfeeding baby.
Ms Creasy was subjected to a safeguarding assessment and rapidly cleared.
The troll was referred to the police, who advised him to cease contacting her.
“I was horrified and humiliated because these are professionals that I work with in safeguarding children in my local community and then frankly outraged that somebody’s response to disagreeing with me was to suggest my children would be at risk and so should be removed from me,” the MP advised Sky News.
“We can all have robust conversations, debates, discussions, I can passionately disagree with people, but threatening to take away their children because you don’t agree with somebody is not free speech, it’s a form of harassment.”
The MP for Walthamstow in north London stated Leicestershire Police advised her it was “insignificant as a form of harassment”.
She stated she thought the police determination “provides a inexperienced mild to these individuals who disagree with individuals within the public eye – not simply politicians however journalists and campaigners – as a result of this man was focusing on different individuals, different girls as nicely that he disagreed with – to harass them by way of their households.
“And I just think in a democracy we do not want to go there.”
Read extra:
MP who harassed assistant should be suspended – expert panel
Tory MP claims sexual harassment debate impacting men’s health
“The police officer told me that my views were extreme,” she added.
“He said it was perfectly reasonable because other people on social media – as if Twitter is our metric for normal, sane debate in this country right now – would have expressed the same views and said this man had a perfectly protected right and was entitled to do what he did, but also then said he wasn’t motivated by hatred of women.
“If this is not hating girls, I do not know what’s.”
Police investigated a ‘number of emails’
Leicestershire Police said it had investigated a “variety of emails” sent to the MP and gave the man a community resolution rather than a formal sanction because the messages did not meet the threshold for a criminal offence.
It said the content of the messages had “understandably precipitated upset and misery” and officers had spoken with the sender, who admitted he was responsible and apologised.
It said there has been no report of further unwanted contact.
“Leicestershire Police takes any report of harassment extraordinarily critically and can perform a full investigation into the report and take the suitable motion,” the spokesperson said.
“The drive stays totally dedicated to maintaining girls and ladies protected, listening to considerations and tackling violence.”
A spokesperson for Waltham Forest Council added: “All safeguarding allegations are handled according to the nationwide laws. We have an obligation to deal with every case critically and make sure the statutory course of is adopted.”