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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/oct/04/coalition-for-marriage-accused-of-defamation-over-extremist-photo
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| Coalition for Marriage accused of defamation over 'extremist' photo | Coalition for Marriage accused of defamation over 'extremist' photo |
| (4 months later) | |
| Canberra public servant threatens to bring lawsuit over website’s use of a photo of her holding a rainbow flag | |
| Australian Associated Press | |
| Tue 3 Oct 2017 22.10 BST | |
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| The Coalition for Marriage is facing a potential defamation lawsuit, accused of unfairly labelling a Canberra public servant and same-sex marriage supporter as an “extremist” on its website. | The Coalition for Marriage is facing a potential defamation lawsuit, accused of unfairly labelling a Canberra public servant and same-sex marriage supporter as an “extremist” on its website. |
| A photograph of Jill Moran at a peaceful rally appeared on the same-sex marriage opponents’ website last month. The accompanying media release hit out at what the site called the “extremists” of the yes campaign. Moran’s lawyers say it also contained allegations of violent protesting, bullying and intimidation. | A photograph of Jill Moran at a peaceful rally appeared on the same-sex marriage opponents’ website last month. The accompanying media release hit out at what the site called the “extremists” of the yes campaign. Moran’s lawyers say it also contained allegations of violent protesting, bullying and intimidation. |
| Moran, 26, said she felt “sick to her stomach” when a friend pointed out how the image had been used. | Moran, 26, said she felt “sick to her stomach” when a friend pointed out how the image had been used. |
| “I am a passionate supporter of marriage equality and I am proud to campaign publicly, but it is completely untrue and hurtful to paint me as violent or a political extremist,” she said on Tuesday. “I am embarrassed and angry to be associated with anything other than peaceful campaigning.” | “I am a passionate supporter of marriage equality and I am proud to campaign publicly, but it is completely untrue and hurtful to paint me as violent or a political extremist,” she said on Tuesday. “I am embarrassed and angry to be associated with anything other than peaceful campaigning.” |
| But the Coalition for Marriage denies it has defamed anyone and says it was fighting for freedom of speech. “That includes freedom of political communication,” a spokeswoman said. | But the Coalition for Marriage denies it has defamed anyone and says it was fighting for freedom of speech. “That includes freedom of political communication,” a spokeswoman said. |
| The image showed yes campaigners “brazenly disrupting a peaceful anti-Safe Schools event in Canberra”, she said. | The image showed yes campaigners “brazenly disrupting a peaceful anti-Safe Schools event in Canberra”, she said. |
| The media release quoted the Coalition for Marriage spokeswoman Sophie York, who referred to the “bullying and intimidation tactics” at the base of the yes campaign, along with its “loud, violent protests”. | The media release quoted the Coalition for Marriage spokeswoman Sophie York, who referred to the “bullying and intimidation tactics” at the base of the yes campaign, along with its “loud, violent protests”. |
| A Slater and Gordon defamation lawyer, Phil Johnston, said the photograph remained online despite requests for it to be taken down and an apology issued. Johnston warned other people depicted in material issued by the group could also have been defamed. | A Slater and Gordon defamation lawyer, Phil Johnston, said the photograph remained online despite requests for it to be taken down and an apology issued. Johnston warned other people depicted in material issued by the group could also have been defamed. |
| The Coalition for Marriage said it had not referred to anyone by name, however defamation legislation also includes “indirect identification”. | The Coalition for Marriage said it had not referred to anyone by name, however defamation legislation also includes “indirect identification”. |
| The group noted that Moran was a “seasoned political activist” and a former Greens candidate who used the image as her Facebook profile picture. It also claimed she had tweeted the image with a statement that she was “smashing the heteropatriarchy”. | The group noted that Moran was a “seasoned political activist” and a former Greens candidate who used the image as her Facebook profile picture. It also claimed she had tweeted the image with a statement that she was “smashing the heteropatriarchy”. |
| Under defamation law, the Coalition for Marriage has 28 days to adhere to Slater and Gordon’s requests before proceedings can be initiated. The requests were issued on 25 September. | Under defamation law, the Coalition for Marriage has 28 days to adhere to Slater and Gordon’s requests before proceedings can be initiated. The requests were issued on 25 September. |
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