Linda Bellos arrested **Title edited by MNHQ to make clear that she was in fact 'interviewed under caution'**

[Terfragette69]

So it would appear that Linda has been arrested and interviewed for saying she would protect herself if the tra's attacked.... What the actual fuck?? This is getting ridiculous we need to act!

So if I called the police and told them that my ex had threatened me deliberate and permanent harm, they would go arrest him?
The answer is no they would tell me that until actual harm is done its not their problem.
So why is Linda being picked on I wonder.

I give notice that if I am attacked in public or in private, by a man or a woman, including by those who consider themselves part of the 'trans' community (whether male or female and whatever their beliefs about their own identity), I shall use proportionate force to defend myself, as is my right under law.

Whoever wishes to report this to the police as a threat, please do so. I am sure MNHQ will fulfil their obligations to liaise with the police.

She was NOT arrested. This was a voluntary attendance, it's common of course that if you don't attend voluntarily they will just arrest you, but in the interests of accuracy then it was not an arrest.

It was 'interviewed under caution'.

What the fuck?!

I saw the section of Linda's talk that was doing the rounds on FB. Her comment was deliberately cut, such that it was taken out of context.

Total manipulation.

If that's the YouTube clip I'm thinking of, it's been doing the rounds for a while, as evidence of 'TERFs inciting violence'.

In fact on another thread just earlier today I saw a screenshot of Heather Peto advising Tara Wolf to use it as a defence of why Tara punched Maria Maclachlan.

How dare women even hint about fighting back to men's violence?

This is utterly fucking unbelievable.

I've met Linda: she's tiny.

What a joke.

They have been trying to misrepresent Linda's comments since the event. But I am angry and sad that the police are giving credence to these claims. What about all the threats of violence against women? Not only in relation to trans issues but in general. Where is the appetite to take every emotionally and physically abusive man in for questioning?

I hope Linda is getting support and advice from her friends and contacts in RL.

Getting the language right is important, of course, but to the average person in the street (or on Twitter) somebody asked to attend a police station to talk to police under caution or otherwise is tainted. 'No smoke without fire' and so on. I don't expect the TRAs will hold back here and make sure they use the correct terminology. They're still saying that Posie is under police investigation although my understanding is that the CPS has indicated that there will be no charges in her case.

There's always requests to livestream events like this and I understand the appeal to make events accessible but this would put me off.

Utterly horrified to think a feminist response to male violence would be challenged in this way by police

Yes but at the same time, leave it to the TRAs to twist, manipulate, dramatise, and extrapolate wildly.

She wasn't arrested. She was interviewed. The facts in these situations speak for themselves. And should be stated accurately.

Absolutely fucking outrageous. And everything BarrackerBarmer said.

I wonder if those two blokes who sang that 'TERFs are traaaaaaash' ditty about a brick to the teeth and kerb stomping have been 'interviewed under caution' yet?

The police must have been shown the cut version, not the original.
Surely that's wasting police time or something?

I thought they all hated carceral feminism and want to abolish prisons? For people that believe this they seem very quick to call in the cops.

Does anyone have a transcript of what Linda actually said regarding defending herself?

I'm appalled by the crumbling of our society's principles of fairness and truth and democracy
I'm starting to wonder if they were ever there. All of this makes me realise how much men and the establishment and institutions actually hate women.

According to press for change, a transphobic hate crime is anything perceived as transphobic, including by witnesses. You don't even actually have to BE trans to be considered a victim of transphobic hate crime.

By this logic you could be accused of transphobic hate crime against a non trans person who did not agree with the accusation.

Quotes from their site:

The key to this definition is ‘perception’. If the victim or witness perceives that it was transphobic then it should be logged by the police as transphobic. Even if the victim does not perceive it is a hate crime a witness may.

You do not have to prove you are trans to be a victim of transphobic hate crime. It is not like the other trans legislation where you have to say you are ‘intending to undergo, are undergoing or have undergone gender reassignment’. So for example someone who looks like a trans person may also experience transphobia.

So for example someone who looks like a trans person may
also experience transphobia.

Well shit, that could equally apply to me and most of The females I work with, none of us look cracking at 6 am.

I was spoken to by the Police due a MN thread - that happened in July last year. It completely freaked me out even thou the police told me I had done nothing wrong.

This. Is. Bullshit.

I am so over all of this. It isn't worth more words, we've said it all. This has become the very zenith of insanity. The men are scared of Linda Bellos - yep, do me a favour. So now you can't even state an intent to defend yourself in the face of attack. I'm so angry right now.

I support you Linda.

missbonita MN passed on your details?

Oh my god. This is madness.

"I was spoken to by the Police due a MN thread - that happened in July last year."

Wtaf?? About the trans-rights stuff?

I believe they passed on Posie's too. IamNotDarling