To think I shouldn’t have to worry about Mumsnetters’ safety just because they want to attend a lawful public meeting?

[SarahJane73]

Tomorrow a number of Mumsnetters are planning to attend a public meeting to discuss a proposed change to the law that affects women.

On Friday a threat was made that a ‘device’ would be left at the venue. Sussex police are treating this as a serious threat and later that day the bomb squad raided a house in the local area where ‘potentially explosive materials’ were found:

www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/news/bomb-squad-called-to-st-leonards-1-8536449

www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/news/police-investigating-bomb-threat-against-hasting-meeting-1-8539357

This is in addition to all the ‘usual’ threats to do some ‘GBH’ to the women attending:

twitter.com/cattdeskatgmail/status/1008686921223204864

And no, that’s not just talk:

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/trans-attacker-tara-wolf-is-a-thug-says-feminist-maria-maclachlan-pq0bwvthv

Maybe there’ll be masked men again blocking women from entering the meeting:

Maybe they’ll stand outside chanting ‘burn it down’ as they have previously. Maybe they’ll then track down women who have attended the meeting to harass them as they go about their work:

womansplaceuk.org/footage-of-picket-line-attack/

Whatever your views on the proposed changes to the Gender Recognition Act, AIBU to think this kind of behaviour is abhorrent in a civil society and the attitude that you get your way by threatening, beating up and maybe even blowing up anyone who attempts to express a view you disagree with is a threat to our democracy?

This is the meeting they are threatening to bomb:

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-womans-place-is-on-the-frontline-tickets-46776855835

Grotesque behaviour. YANBU and we all need to be acutely aware of what’s going on.

YADNBU.

This is terrorism. I hope Hastings police are dealing with it as such.

You are not being unreasonable. If it was any other group of people there would be a national outcry.

That is disgusting.

And people like the Labour party are happy to be associated with this sort of thing?

And yet we are the ones who are in the wrong.

I don't understand how they can't see how their behaviour is incredibly harmful to their own movement. It is quite frankly more damaging than anything women could come up with.

It is truly disgusting and shows what a bunch of lunatic lowlives some people are. Those who aren't aware of the issues should be wondering what they are so scared of.

There is some quite balanced reporting going on which is good.

I like "refer to people who disagree with them as TERFs".

Misogynistic Terrorism . Brave new world......

And people like the Labour party are happy to be associated with this sort of thing?

Well, they recently had a fundraiser for Action for Trans Health who state "we must be radically & transformatively violent":

www.express.co.uk/news/politics/972219/diane-abbott-labour-mp-transgender-fundraiser-sex-change-drugs-hormones-children

twitter.com/edinburghath/status/908313402401058816?lang=en

Mind you, Action for Trans Health have also been consulted by parliamentary committees, received NHS funding to provide training and consultation and been contracted by local government as well:

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/action-for-trans-health-activists-want-free-sex-change-hormones-for-children-dhvv5c52v

(As a disclaimer, I'm not saying Action for Trans Health are responsible for the bomb threat, just that they are a group which has advocated violence.)

And they definitely aren't the only group advocating violence.

It beggers belief doesn't it

It's absolutely horrific. Terrorism.

I went to a feminist meeting recently. We had to meet in a cafe and then walk to the secret venue nearby for fear of attack. The venue had to lay on extra security.

That this can happen here in the UK in 2018 truly shocks me.

YANBU

I don't know why we, as a society, seem to have lost our way on freedom of speech. However much I disagree with trans ideology, I would never attempt to silence those wanting to discuss it.

I don't understand how they can't see how their behaviour is incredibly harmful to their own movement. It is quite frankly more damaging than anything women could come up with.

I can't see why other people can't see how harmful this is.

You are absolutely not BU. I'm sure someone will be along to tell you that you are because women who refuse to be "nice" deserve whatever it takes to shut them up will be along shortly, though.

Please excuse the unreasonable grammar in the comment about, bit sleep deprived here.

Of course threatening to bomb a venue for a talk is always wrong. Surely no one would defend this?

Yanbu

I think the press have likely been asked not to report on it until the investigation is complete, hence the radio silence.

Seriously terrifying... especially since I understand that the Cambridge meeting was threatened with a bomb too....

And all of us wonder why Millwall cancelled hosting in such haste, only to be replaced by the House of Commons (with excellent security)

And quite shocked there hasn't been massive media coverage of this - two bomb threats for an organisation of women talking... just talking

3rd rule of misogyny: Women speaking for themselves are exclusionary and selfish.

Yes there are people who defend beating women into submission by whatever means they feel is necessary.

People have a right to discuss law changes which affect them. I can’t go to this because it’s too far away, but I applaud the brave women who are going and refusing to be cowed.

YANBU.

This movement is so blind to anything else but its own needs, it doesn't see that it is currently a belisha beacon inviting every deranged male in the country to join it (whether they are trans or not).

At some point, one or more woman is going to be seriously hurt and all the politicians are going to pretend that they didn't see it coming. If this had been a terroristic threat on any other group but women, we wouldn't hear the end of it. But it's only women, so nobody gives a shit.

YY Lang. Here's hoping the meeting goes off safely tonight.