Plenty has already been said about Trafigura and their lap dogs solicitors’ attempts to stifle the press – and, indeed, public access to questions in parliament. But, why not add my little bit to the embarrassment of these self-righteous arseholes?
In this time of Internet access and bloggery, you would have thought that they had learned from the mistakes of others. The Streisand effect is well enough known. So, as a direct consequence of Carter-Ruck’s injunction, an incident that was not particularly high profile is now spreading like wildfire.
As Mr E says:
One day these highly-remunerated libel lawyers are going to wake up and realise that they aren’t being paid in guineas any more and that, thanks to this thing called the Interwebs, they can’t shut down freedom of speech the way they used to in the old days. On the contrary; as Barbara Streisand found to her cost, 99% of people don’t give a shit about 99% of stuff, right up the moment when you start waving your arms up and down telling them to stop reading about it.
Massive, massive fail, there guys. Carter-Ruck, well done, you have achieved precisely the opposite effect to that desired by your clients. I do hope you aren’t planning to bill them.
More here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
You’ve got to laugh. I did.
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Update: Good analysis from Constantly Furious. Julia M also comments – oh and nearly forgot; Old Holborn.
Anyway, it seems they’ve thrown in the towel.
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Update: On today’s PMQs, Peter Bottomley said that he plans to report Carter Ruck to the Law Society. Jolly good. Their client may have insisted upon this course of action, but there are times when the correct response is “no” no matter how much the client wants it.
I wouldn’t blame the solicitors too much here although they should have been aware of the Streisand Effect*. The villain of the piece is the dildo in a wig dispensing “justice” and issuing the gagging order.
* maybe they were but their client insisted nevertheless.
Quite so. I was thinking that as I was typing, but forgot to put it in…
No-one has yet said who granted it, though several were wondering if Judge Eady is in the frame again…
.-= My last blog ..”There’s an app for that…” =-.
38 Degrees are currently running a campaign on this. Take action now by emailing your MP and asking them to take a stand. Take action now, it only takes 2 mins. Go to:
38degrees.org.uk/stop-the-gag
Private Eye have been on about them for a long time. they are anathema in this country.
.-= My last blog ..The Higham Ship =-.
Ooohh. What a day we’ve had…
.-= My last blog ..Guardian Gagged – Bloggers Bothered – #Trafigura trashed =-.
Carter-Ruck are not dissimilar to Schillings
In fact, at least three lawyers at Carter-Ruck have come from Schillings, Hanna Basha, Felicity Robinson and Michelle Riondel.
Schillings have attempted to effect a gag order on various websites on the internet to prevent the public from knowing that that there is a clear (electronic) connection between Ark Academies and the Dutroux scandal (about the sexual abuse, torture and murder of children scandal in Belgium in the late 1990’s).
Ark Academies sponsor schools in the UK.
First Schillings letter:
http://wikileaks.org/wiki/Schillings_legal_demands_to_EUTruth.Org_over_EIM_Chair_Arpad_Busson
Censored video:
http://wikileaks.org/wiki/EIMConsult_censored_video
Refutation:
http://wikileaks.org/wiki/Talk:EIMConsult_censored_video
Second Schillings letter:
http://wikileaks.org/wiki/Schillings_legal_threat_re_Arpad_Busson%2C_EIM_Group_and_ARK_Schools_to_911forum.org.uk_hoster%2C_16_Dec_2008
Refutation:
http://wikileaks.org/wiki/Talk:Schillings_legal_threat_re_Arpad_Busson,_EIM_Group_and_ARK_Schools_to_911forum.org.uk_hoster,_16_Dec_2008
Ark’s eugenics programme now in place in UK schools:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBxQpft5F_k