Auckland councillor Daniel Newman says the defamatory attacks on him and other councillors are over the top. Vakaruru said the person who posted the comments was spoken to by police and told to refrain from “making comments online which could cause fears for the safety and wellbeing of others”. In December last year police said they wouldn’t prosecute people responsible for posting racist and abusive comments online about Auckland councillor Josephine Bartley. Phil Reid/Stuff Human rights lawyer Michael Bott says such online attacks are reflection of the political environment in New Zealand and around the world. Under the Human Rights Act 1993 it is a criminal offence to publish or use threatening, abusive or insulting words.

Source: Stuff July 31, 2020 05:26 UTC