Details of writers and journalists, including columnist Cat Boyd, have been posted online by ‘neomaculinist’ Roosh V supporters
THE National Union of Journalists has condemned the targeting of journalists by anti-feminist blogger Daryush Valizaeh after UK-based writers, including Glasgow-based columnist Cat Boyd, were named in online posts.
In response to the wave of feminist protests against his follower’s planned meetups, blogger Roosh V, whose real name is Daryush Valizadeh, launched what he termed “Operation Bullhorn: Gathering intel on lying reporters” on his online forum.
At his request, supporters published names, contact details and photographs of journalists on the forum – the majority of them women. The forum has now been made private.
“This is the tactics of fascists – plastering a journalist’s personal information over the internet in a pathetic attempt to intimidate them.” Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ
Responding, the National Union of Journalists condemned the intimidation tactics. Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, said: “This is the tactics of fascists – plastering a journalist’s personal information over the internet in a pathetic attempt to intimidate them.
“Valizadeh has the nerve to attack journalists as a crazy mob, when he’s actively encouraging those who lap up his anti-women rhetoric to make a note of reporters’ home addresses and ‘save them for possible future use’.”
Valizadeh argued that he was “hitting back against the enemy”, angered that journalists had focused on his supposedly pro-rape stance.
“We must hold journalists fully accountable for their incitement. For this operation, locate all media articles written in the past week that contained the lie that we support rape and harm against women.
“Then collect as much as you can of the following information and post it in this thread.”
One of those whose details were posted on the forum was The National’s columnist Cat Boyd , who is also standing as a Scottish parliamentary candidate in Glasgow with the socialist alliance Rise.
Boyd told Commonspace: “The show of strength and solidarity across Scotland against men who hate women has been really empowering.
“I know that with the people of Glasgow at my side, we can face down any sad wee troll in the world.” Cat Boyd
“I don’t actually care that my photo is on their site, I know that with the people of Glasgow at my side, we can face down any sad wee troll in the world.”
Valizadeh had complained on Twitter that of all the cities where he had organised meetings, Glasgow seemed to be the most hostile .
In February 2015 the blogger wrote: “I propose that we make the violent taking of a woman not punishable by law when done off public grounds”. Questioned on this in a BBC interview, he said the post was satirical. Valizadeh runs the ‘Return of Kings’ blog, which advocates male supremacy.
Since numerous protests were announced in cities in which his ‘tribal gatherings’ were planned for 6 February, Valizadeh has cancelled the gatherings. Protests were still planned for Edinburgh and Glasgow at the time of publication.
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