Professional-Palestine activist Zee Mazloum has issued The Australian and its NSW political reporter Alexi Demetriadi with a issues discover alleging an article revealed on November 8 titled “Activist Zee Mazloum posted vile Jewish threats” is defamatory.
The issuing of a issues discover is step one in defamation proceedings and usually supplies the chance for a writer to make amends by the use of retraction, apology or comparable.
The article alleged that an Instagram account run by Mazloum made a lot of antisemitic threats directed at “Arab Jews” dwelling in Brunswick in Melbourne’s inner-north, and alleged Mazloum had made “prolific Instagram posts focusing on ‘native Zios’”.
It carried a screenshot of an Instagram story that contained these remarks superimposed on a photograph of an Israel flag sticker with a “no” image throughout it.
The article famous that legal professionals performing for Mazloum instructed The Weekend Australian that Mazloum denied writing or posting the remarks on Instagram.
Journalist Alex McKinnon first reported the declare, and writes Mazloum says that the picture had been edited, with the abusive textual content superimposed on the Instagram story. McKinnon reported proof of this had been despatched to Demetriadi forward of The Australian’s publication by way of Mazloum’s lawyer, Marque Legal professionals principal Michael Bradley.
Demetriadi’s report additionally detailed the actions of Mazloum’s employer, Hue Consulting, which describes itself as an “anti oppression and anti racism coaching and consulting organisation”.
The Australian has reported on Hue Consulting and Mazloum beforehand, with an article by Demetriadi in March carrying the net title “HRC completely satisfied to work with Israel hater”. An opinion article by The Australian’s Gemma Tognini in February was titled “Social terrorists gleefully set off weapons of mass doxxing”, and carries {a photograph} of Mazloum with a caption naming them.
Crikey contacted Demetriadi, Bradley, and The Australian’s editor Kelvin Healey to ask whether or not they would share the issues discover reported by McKinnon, or The Australian’s response.
Demetriadi instructed Crikey that “previous to publication, we had a replica of a screenshot (completely different to that offered by Mr Bradley), which we take into account clearly demonstrates that the textual content in situation was posted to Mazloum’s Instagram account. We’ve got responded to the issues discover despatched by Mr Bradley and stand by the article”.
Bradley declined to remark when contacted by Crikey.
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