James O'Brien's reaction to "vile" Greta Thunberg abusers
2 March 2020, 13:49
This is James O'Brien's reaction to the "vile" comments made about Greta Thunberg online.
Local newspaper Bristol Live elected to publish the worst of the abuse written about Greta Thunberg by Bristolians, after she joined a climate change march in the city.
The six exposed men wrote violent threats and comments on the Bristol Live's public Facebook page using their personal Facebook profiles.
James was flummoxed, "I have not succeeded in coming to any nuanced or sophisticated analysis of why this young woman, who subscribes to precisely the same world view as David Attenborough, excites such vile responses from people who, mostly one has to presume... must know better."
James read out the "vile" comments which he posited are the product of a "virtual lynch-mob mentality."
One of the men being abusive towards the 17 year old activist had the quote "be kind" in his profile picture, a phrase encouraged after the suicide of Caroline Flack to dissuade online trolls - it is thought by some that media and online abuse contributed to her decision to take her own life.
Bristol Live has said some of the online abusers have children themselves, including a man who said Ms Thunberg should be "slapped in the face with a brick."
