The YouTube vlogger Mahyar Tousi was covering yet another Palestinian protest at the weekend, when he was approched by Police officers. Details are sketchy of what happened (Mahyar Himself doesn't give a great account of the incident), but apparently the Police Officers who he assumed were Metrpolitan Police Officers told him verbally he was requested to appear voluntarily for interview at a Police station.
The vlogosphere erupted over the weekend with offers of monetary and legal support.
Then Mahyar attended the Police station on Monday.
The Police couldn't find the paperwork for his interview or the allegations requiring his attendance for interview. Curiouser and curiouser. Mahyar left the Police station without being interviewed.
It's uncertain why the Police officers at the weekend told Mahyar of his interview by word of mouth. Normally something like that would be done by phone or letter.
However, in another dramatic turn, it appears the Police then leaked the address of Mahyar to the public. Thankfully the address was wrong, but why would the Police do such a thing? Is it to intimidate, to put pressure on Mahyar to shut up, or is it to bring the wrath of political/religious activists down on Mahyar? He's been a critic of Islamist Extremists in the UK. Was this an attempt to have someone to attack and silence him?
So there are a number of serious questions that need answering.
Were the officers at the protest actually Police officers? Why did they break protocol and inform Mahyar verbally he was required to voluntarily submit to interview?
If they weren't what sort of officers were they? Did they work for a different agency like GCHQ? If so, what were they doing at the protest and why did they approach Mahyar?
Who is calling the shots when it comes to hauling vloggers like Mahyar into Police stations for questioning?
Is it a rogue element within the Police? If not rogue, is there an official capacity?
Is it a political unit within the Police? Do the Police have a political investigations wing?
Is it a propaganda unit within the Police?
Is it GCHQ?
I ask these questions seriously. I've already raised the question of journalists on the right and the left of politics being arrested under the terrorism act. The only thing that links them is they report news that opposes the official government and therefore mainstream media narrative.
Is there a concerted effort to censor narratives of all kinds that go against the mainstream media and government narratives?
Again, I've already blogged about how I think I've already been investigated by intelligence. Having been obviously followed when I changed my routine.
Who is starting these investigations and why? Is it as I suspect GCHQ, but under what powers? Why are they investigating a Blogger on Blogspot or a Vlogger on YouTube?
But the why is intriguing. Is it an effort to reduce dissident voices, voices against the government/mainstream narrative? Again why?
Is the government involved in a propaganda campaign, essentially trying to control narratives and public opinion? It would appear so, given that not only voices on what we consider the right of politics are being investigated and intimidated. Independent voices on the left of politics are also being intimidated.
The Police are using unprecedented powers to silence independent journalists and commentators.
On the right we have Tommy Robinson and the continued lawfare against him, culminating in him being arrested under the prevention of terrorism act. An act that does not give you the right of silence.
I've a sneaking suspicion that Mahyar would have been arrested and interviewed under terror powers last Monday had he not had the legal support he had.
But on the left is also a litany of journalists and commentators that brief against the government narrative being arrested under terror powers.
Richard Medhurst, Sarah Wilkinson, Craig Murray, Asa Winstanley, are just some names of journalists and commentators that have been arrested under the prevention of terrorism act.
Now, these appear to be fishing exercises to try and find further names and networks of dissidents or anti-government-propaganda voices.
But I ask the question again. By whom? Under what authority? What is the end game?
And I notice, ALL happened under the new Labour government.
And the left say Starmer's not an authoritarian. I beg to differ and they really need to look among their ranks for the the evidence.
It's understandable given Starmer only understands the world from a judicial perspective, but this is the longest of overreaches of law. Investigating and then arresting journalists under a law designed to be used against terrorists as an immense misuse of that law.#
UPDATE:
I've created a petition to ask the home secretary why people who are clearly not terrorists are being arrested under the prevention of terrorism act.
https://chng.it/mqVwzCBv8R