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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/14/ukip-pressured-me-take-down-tweet-curtail-free-expression

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Ukip pressured me to take down a tweet – and now I'm really up for a fight Ukip pressured me to take down a tweet – and now I'm really up for a fight
(2 days later)
It was Saturday afternoon, and I was in the middle of watching a rather bad film when I was distracted by a young police officer peering through my net curtains. What happened next was even more bizarre. Two police officers, while reminding me on several occasions that I had nothing to fear and no case to answer, asked me to "take down" a tweet I had sent about Ukip – but they couldn't force me take it down as I had "freedom of speech". I was also asked not to tweet about the fact they had been round to my house to do this, but again they couldn't stop me.It was Saturday afternoon, and I was in the middle of watching a rather bad film when I was distracted by a young police officer peering through my net curtains. What happened next was even more bizarre. Two police officers, while reminding me on several occasions that I had nothing to fear and no case to answer, asked me to "take down" a tweet I had sent about Ukip – but they couldn't force me take it down as I had "freedom of speech". I was also asked not to tweet about the fact they had been round to my house to do this, but again they couldn't stop me.
I only realised what had actually happened after they had left. If it wasn't a police matter, and I had broken no law. Why had they come to my home in the middle of the afternoon? It was alarming that a political party not even in office would seek to exercise this type of censorship and could wield such power.I only realised what had actually happened after they had left. If it wasn't a police matter, and I had broken no law. Why had they come to my home in the middle of the afternoon? It was alarming that a political party not even in office would seek to exercise this type of censorship and could wield such power.
The next tweet I sent was a quote from article 10 of the Human Rights Act. But I did self-censor: I removed the instances of the initial tweet that I could find. Then I contacted some friends for advice, and their help and support was invaluable. But I still didn't feel right; I couldn't settle, as my father would say.The next tweet I sent was a quote from article 10 of the Human Rights Act. But I did self-censor: I removed the instances of the initial tweet that I could find. Then I contacted some friends for advice, and their help and support was invaluable. But I still didn't feel right; I couldn't settle, as my father would say.
So I wrote the story on my Facebook page (which is restricted), and someone broke it from there. It immediately started to go viral. I wrote my blog (which gets an average of five weekly hits) and tweeted a link to it and the title. And I felt a whole lot better.So I wrote the story on my Facebook page (which is restricted), and someone broke it from there. It immediately started to go viral. I wrote my blog (which gets an average of five weekly hits) and tweeted a link to it and the title. And I felt a whole lot better.
By Tuesday evening, my blog had 125,000 hits – more than 12,000 from the US alone. My Twitter followers have jumped from just over a hundred, mostly friends and acquaintances, to more than 2,000.By Tuesday evening, my blog had 125,000 hits – more than 12,000 from the US alone. My Twitter followers have jumped from just over a hundred, mostly friends and acquaintances, to more than 2,000.
My story has been covered in every newspaper from the Morning Star to the Daily Telegraph, and now the Green peer Jenny Jones has asked the home secretary to conduct an immediate investigation into police procedures in Cambridgeshire.My story has been covered in every newspaper from the Morning Star to the Daily Telegraph, and now the Green peer Jenny Jones has asked the home secretary to conduct an immediate investigation into police procedures in Cambridgeshire.
This is an example of the Streisand effect. Ukip policies are no longer the issue – people all over the world who (perhaps incredibly) have no idea who Nigel Farage is are, are retweeting and sharing the original tweet simply because Ukip tried to suppress it. This is an example of the Streisand effect. Ukip policies are no longer the issue – people all over the world who (perhaps incredibly) have no idea who Nigel Farage is, are retweeting and sharing the original tweet simply because Ukip tried to suppress it.
Thousands of people across the globe recognise this for what it undoubtedly is – a deliberate attempt by Ukip to curtail my human right to free expression; to silence dissent, to censor. Also concerning is that the tweet they wanted to remove was a poster someone had made that I fact-checked. It contained links only to official Ukip websites and the party's EU voting record. I even clearly indicated those allegations that had no basis. I simply presented it, and invited people to go to those websites and read.Thousands of people across the globe recognise this for what it undoubtedly is – a deliberate attempt by Ukip to curtail my human right to free expression; to silence dissent, to censor. Also concerning is that the tweet they wanted to remove was a poster someone had made that I fact-checked. It contained links only to official Ukip websites and the party's EU voting record. I even clearly indicated those allegations that had no basis. I simply presented it, and invited people to go to those websites and read.
The thing that oppressors throughout history have feared more than anything is a well-informed population able to discuss, challenge, and spread ideas in order to learn the truth for themselves.The thing that oppressors throughout history have feared more than anything is a well-informed population able to discuss, challenge, and spread ideas in order to learn the truth for themselves.
I've realised why I couldn't settle. My father taught me to fight bullies when I was a kid. I had stopped fighting. Never again.I've realised why I couldn't settle. My father taught me to fight bullies when I was a kid. I had stopped fighting. Never again.