Australian Federal Police Crack Down on Threats Against MPs Amid Growing Hate Speech
Two men have been charged with sending threatening messages to Lidia Thorpe, an Indigenous Australian MP, and Allegra Spender, who condemned a neo-Nazi rally outside the NSW parliament. The charges were part of a broader crackdown by the AFP's national security investigation team on groups and individuals causing harm to Australia's social cohesion.
In a separate case, Joel Davis was refused bail over allegations that he sent a "menacing message" about Spender, which encouraged people to direct abusive and hateful messages at her. The message included threats of sexual violence, prompting Magistrate Daniel Covington to rule that Davis posed a risk to the community if granted bail.
Meanwhile, Stefan Eracleous was charged with using a carriage service to harass Thorpe after his electronic devices were seized by police. He is also accused of defacing an Indigenous flag outside her office. Eracleous will face court next week, while another man from Tamworth, who has seven charges against him including four counts of harassment and possession of a prohibited firearm, will appear in court in January.
The AFP's national security investigation team was set up to target groups and individuals causing high levels of harm to Australia's social cohesion. The recent arrests are part of an effort to curb hate speech and protect federal parliamentarians from online abuse.
Thorpe's office reported the alleged harassment after a man sent multiple emails, which escalated into an abusive phone call including hateful and menacing rhetoric. Spender condemned the neo-Nazi rally and was subjected to online abuse before police stepped in.
The charges highlight growing concerns about online hate speech and its impact on Australian society. The AFP is working to disrupt online networks and bring perpetrators to justice, but critics argue that more needs to be done to address the root causes of this issue.
As the investigation continues, many are calling for greater action to protect MPs from online abuse and harassment. The recent arrests demonstrate that the AFP is taking these threats seriously, but it remains to be seen how effective their efforts will be in curbing hate speech.
Two men have been charged with sending threatening messages to Lidia Thorpe, an Indigenous Australian MP, and Allegra Spender, who condemned a neo-Nazi rally outside the NSW parliament. The charges were part of a broader crackdown by the AFP's national security investigation team on groups and individuals causing harm to Australia's social cohesion.
In a separate case, Joel Davis was refused bail over allegations that he sent a "menacing message" about Spender, which encouraged people to direct abusive and hateful messages at her. The message included threats of sexual violence, prompting Magistrate Daniel Covington to rule that Davis posed a risk to the community if granted bail.
Meanwhile, Stefan Eracleous was charged with using a carriage service to harass Thorpe after his electronic devices were seized by police. He is also accused of defacing an Indigenous flag outside her office. Eracleous will face court next week, while another man from Tamworth, who has seven charges against him including four counts of harassment and possession of a prohibited firearm, will appear in court in January.
The AFP's national security investigation team was set up to target groups and individuals causing high levels of harm to Australia's social cohesion. The recent arrests are part of an effort to curb hate speech and protect federal parliamentarians from online abuse.
Thorpe's office reported the alleged harassment after a man sent multiple emails, which escalated into an abusive phone call including hateful and menacing rhetoric. Spender condemned the neo-Nazi rally and was subjected to online abuse before police stepped in.
The charges highlight growing concerns about online hate speech and its impact on Australian society. The AFP is working to disrupt online networks and bring perpetrators to justice, but critics argue that more needs to be done to address the root causes of this issue.
As the investigation continues, many are calling for greater action to protect MPs from online abuse and harassment. The recent arrests demonstrate that the AFP is taking these threats seriously, but it remains to be seen how effective their efforts will be in curbing hate speech.
it's so messed up that ppl think its okay 2 send threatening msgs 2 MPs just cuz they're tryna express their opinion its like u cant even agree without resorting 2 hate 
& online abuse is getting outta control, gotta do better than just locking ppl away we need more support 4 our mental health & more effort 2 address the root causes of this hate speech 
! The number of hate speech cases reported online has increased by 50% in the past year alone 
. Australia's social cohesion is being tested like never before, with 70% of Aussies saying they're worried about online harassment 
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. Did you know that the average online abuse case takes around 3 days to resolve? 
That's way too long! The AFP is working to disrupt online networks, but it's only 20% effective so far 
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. The numbers are staggering: 90% of Indigenous Aussies have experienced online hate speech 
on dis new crackdown by the australia federal police 
like lidia thorpe & allegra spender 
i mean it's about time, right? but seriously, it's still super concerning that ppl think it's okay to send menacing messages or make threats online 
and now the afp is finally gettin after them 
so yeah, lets see how this plays out in court 
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. It's like, we need to get smart about this too, and not just rely on the AFP to crack down on individual cases. We need to think about the bigger picture here and how we can prevent hate speech from taking hold in the first place.
Lidia Thorpe and Allegra Spender are total legends for speaking out against those neo-Nazis, and it's about time someone took action against these online trolls. I mean, who wants to be bombarded with hate speech all day? Not me, that's for sure! 
It's so sad that we need laws in place to stop people from being abusive online, but I guess that's just the way it is.
And Joel Davis getting refused bail is pretty cool too. It's all about setting a good example and showing everyone that we won't tolerate this kind of behavior. I think the AFP is doing a great job trying to disrupt online networks and bring these perpetrators to justice, but yeah, more needs to be done, for sure.
We just need to look out for each other and treat everyone with respect. I mean, come on, we're all Aussies – can't we all just get along? 
. I'm all about free speech, but when people are using it to hurt others, that's not okay 
. The AFP needs to keep up the good work 
. Can't we all just be kind to each other? 
#StopHateSpeech #ProtectMPs #AustraliaUnites
As a netizen, I know how easy it is to get caught up in the heat of the moment and type something we might regret later... but sending threatening messages or harassment via email, phone call, or social media is NEVER okay. 
The AFP's effort to crack down on this stuff is long overdue, but now we need to see some real action taken to prevent online abuse from happening in the first place... like better moderation on social media platforms and more support for victims of online harassment.
It won't be easy, but if we work together, I reckon we can make Australia's online spaces safer for everyone. 
There's got to be more to this story than meets the eye. And what about the ones who aren't even caught? Like, how many people are getting away with sending these messages and still living their best lives under the radar? 
It's like they're just taking a slap on the wrist for bad behavior, instead of actual justice. 
. I get where they want to keep Lidia Thorpe and Allegra Spender safe, but at what cost? Is this really what we need more of in Australia – strict laws and punishments for people who are just trying to express themselves? 
Can't wait for January when another guy from Tamworth is going to court with seven charges against him... it's time for Australia to take a stand against online abuse 
.
Anyway, glad to see the AFP is cracking down on these guys. It's not like it's a big deal or anything... I mean, who wouldn't want to send threatening messages to elected officials, right? 
what kind of society are we living in where people feel safe sending menacing messages online?! 
... I guess it's good they're taking these threats seriously, but we need to have a more nuanced conversation about online hate speech and how to tackle it without stifling free speech.