Would you attend a peaceful protest if a convicted paedophile moved into your street?

[thefourgp]

I’ve never attended anything similar before and I’m in two minds about going. He was convicted (I’ve read the newspaper articles which show his photo) and has been released after serving half his sentence. I don’t know if he owns the property but he’s moved in with his wife who stood by him. There’s a peaceful protest being arranged. Would you go?

There is so many of these “peaceful” protests being arranged and they are anything but.

A police officer was struck with a hammer at one in our area recently.

They achieve nothing.

ANYTHING rather

When I worked in Housing we had to rehouse paedophiles released from jail. They were NEVER remorseful, and got off on being interviewed by women. We did the pen trick - have 2 pens, as they'd always ask to borrow your pen so they could touch your hand.

Nobody was allowed to know their address. & They are high priority for rehousing. So, many of us have paedophiles living near us anyway.

I suppose I may be tempted to go to a protest. Not sure. But I wouldnt judge anybody for going. People being scared for their children on this basis is understandable. & It does mean unfortunate conversations with your children as I do not believe paedophiles can ever fight against their own nature.

Damn right I’d protest any not peacefully either! Dirty scumbag should never have a moments peace for the rest of his life.

I don’t agree they are high priority for housing, they have to meet the same criteria as everyone else unless there is some extenuating circumstance.

I'd be very upset, I'm not going to lie.
But by protesting, all youre doing is showing him you don't want him there, which he probably already knows. I doubt you'll shame him into moving.
I think, if possible, I would be thinking about moving house

I’m not sure I would, but I don’t think I’d be happy

@Awwlookatmybabyspider

Good Lord it Seems you can’t say a bad word about Paedos on here.

Not quite the tone of this thread but that really made me laugh out loud!!

OP this would also make me very uncomfortable. But what exactly is this protest. Standing outside his house, peacefully telling him ‘we don’t want you here, paedo?’ I just don’t think that will be effective, or stay peaceful. I get the worries but most abusers are known to the child and because you all know, there is no way this will happen. Was it a child known to him who was raped?

@BananaPop2020 are you joking? Why would I need to say/do anything? Because the sick bastard thinks he's gonna live peacefully in an area with kids? Absolutely not. Luckily I live in an area where they'd not be allowed to live in peace once people knew what he'd done.

Mind blown at the responses in here.

People who say/do nothing about people like him actually blow my mind.

I’d feel physically sick, but for all I know I do live by one. I wouldn’t attend a demonstration though, if everyone knows what he’s done surely he isn’t going to last long in any case

@DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult

No.

At least you know where he lives and that he is being kept an eye on.

They have to live somewhere.

It will not be a peaceful protest either.

I agree with this.

If he gets chased out he'll move somewhere else, likely change his name and then no one will be able to keep a track of him. Which would seem to massively increase the risk.

No

What would it achieve? It's rubbish but I don't see how a protest would help the situation.

no because it won't stay peaceful will it ?
i don't know what the answer is , a positive is that you know he's there and so children can be kept safe , what about the ones you don't know ?
i imagine he must have a pretty miserable life and probably doesn't stay long in one place.
i would be beside myself having him next door , i think this person has the biggest worry.
raping a 5 year old , there are no words , i hope his life is a living hell .
i don't believe they can reform either .

I wouldn't.

What exactly is a protest going to achieve anyway? It smacks of mob rule/ vigilantism both of which I find pretty unpleasant.

And as has been said, it's the child abusers that haven't been caught and punished you need to worry about, you may well have one living next door to you already, hiding in plain sight.

@NotTheToothFairy22 no, I am not joking. People wading into this type of situation with their pitchforks does nothing to improve it. On the contrary, risk is escalated as then you run the risk of someone disappearing and slipping under the radar, thus becoming unmanageable. Whether you like it or not, this person has the right to live peacefully in the community. The move will have been risk assessed prior to it happening.

People driving convicted peadophiles out of their homes means they keep moving and eventually just disappear off the police radar.

I wouldn't be happy about it, but I would be glad to know where he was so I could be vigilant (as I would be anyway).

All a non peaceful protest will achieve is you getting arrested, literally no point, no good will come of it. It may even make your life worse.

@Grenlei spot on

No. But I'd dogshit his car door handles.

I wouldn't go.

However, I can understand why some people will.

You have my sympathies op. It sounds like a tough situation.

Once someone has been convicted, sentenced by a judge and served that sentence, they are allowed to live in and be part of society.

You think sentences are too lenient? Ok, then the route is to campaign for legal reform, for an increase to the sentencing tariff. Not mob justice where 'punishment' is dispensed. It makes you no less of a criminal, and no better than them whether you actively participate in that punishment, or abet it/ turn a blind eye.

No of course not. I would be vigilant of course, but not a vigilante. Any of my neighbours could be offenders. I have no idea.

@NotTheToothFairy22 nobody is sympathising.

No, I wouldn't go. He has to live somewhere. Where else should he go?

I'd be very careful I knew my own children were nowhere near him, though.