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Harassment case examines consequences of Internet wrath|date=May 7, 2014}}</ref><ref name="thestarFrustrations">{{cite web|url=http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2014/01/09/gregory_alan_elliott_frustrations_boil_over_in_twitter_harassment_trial.html|last=Casey|first=Liam|work=[[Toronto Star]]|title=Gregory Alan Elliott: Frustrations boil over in Twitter harassment trial|date=January 9, 2014}}</ref>
Harassment case examines consequences of Internet wrath|date=May 7, 2014}}</ref><ref name="thestarFrustrations">{{cite web|url=http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2014/01/09/gregory_alan_elliott_frustrations_boil_over_in_twitter_harassment_trial.html|last=Casey|first=Liam|work=[[Toronto Star]]|title=Gregory Alan Elliott: Frustrations boil over in Twitter harassment trial|date=January 9, 2014}}</ref>


Gregory Alan Elliott, a Toronto street artist,<ref name="torontoistCafe"/> criticized Guthrie's actions as "every bit as vicious as the face-punch game."<ref name="ocanadaWrath"/> Elliott, who had met Guthrie when volunteering to perform graphic design for a poster, became a persistent critic of her activism.<ref name="ocanadaWasntPerfect">{{cite web|url=http://o.canada.com/news/national/blatchford-stephanie-guthrie-alleged-victim-of-twitter-harassment-says-she-wasnt-perfect-victim|author-link=Christie Blatchford|last=Blatchford|first=Christie|work=[[Canada.com]]|title=Blatchford: Twitter harassment complainant Stephanie Guthrie says she wasn’t ‘perfect victim’|date=July 23, 2014}}</ref> After Guthrie blocked him on Twitter, he continued tweeting both political criticism and has been accused of making personal insults towards her and other local feminists.<ref name="ocanadaWasntPerfect"/><ref name="thestarLeaveHerAlone"/> However it has been confirmed by both Guthrie and the investigating officer that "there’s no allegation that Elliott ever made sexual comments to Guthrie or the other two complainants in the case, or that he even threatened any of them".<ref name="defense submission">[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8A8TBLPhrPFT0hNLVpXZDNTT2M/view?pli=1 Item 36 of defense statement]</ref><ref name="ocanadaWasntPerfect"/><ref name="thestarLeaveHerAlone"/><ref name="thestarFirstOfThree"/>Guthrie and some of her associates also continued to tweet mockery and accusations about Elliott after blocking him, including false accusations of pedophilia.<ref name="thestarFalseRumors">{{cite web|url=http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2014/11/12/twitter_harassment_trial_defence_says_complainant_shared_false_rumours_about_the_accused.html|last=Hasham|first=Alyshah|work=[[Toronto Star]]|title=Twitter harassment trial: Defence says complainant shared false rumours about the accused|date=November 12, 2014}}</ref><ref name="thestarUlteriorMotives">{{cite web|url=http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2014/05/14/twitter_harassment_trial_lawyer_suggests_complainant_had_ulterior_motive_for_going_to_police.html|last=Hasham|first=Alyshah|work=[[Toronto Star]]|title=Twitter harassment trial: Lawyer suggests complainant had ulterior motive for going to police|date=May 14, 2014}}</ref><ref name="french"/>
Gregory Alan Elliott, a Toronto street artist,<ref name="torontoistCafe"/> criticized Guthrie's actions as "every bit as vicious as the face-punch game."<ref name="ocanadaWrath"/> Elliott, who had met Guthrie when volunteering to perform graphic design for a poster, became a persistent critic of her activism.<ref name="ocanadaWasntPerfect">{{cite web|url=http://o.canada.com/news/national/blatchford-stephanie-guthrie-alleged-victim-of-twitter-harassment-says-she-wasnt-perfect-victim|author-link=Christie Blatchford|last=Blatchford|first=Christie|work=[[Canada.com]]|title=Blatchford: Twitter harassment complainant Stephanie Guthrie says she wasn’t ‘perfect victim’|date=July 23, 2014}}</ref> After Guthrie blocked him on Twitter, he continued tweeting both political criticism and has been accused of making personal insults towards her and other local feminists.<ref name="ocanadaWasntPerfect"/><ref name="thestarLeaveHerAlone"/> Guthrie and some of her associates also continued to tweet mockery and accusations about Elliott after blocking him, including false accusations of pedophilia.<ref name="thestarFalseRumors">{{cite web|url=http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2014/11/12/twitter_harassment_trial_defence_says_complainant_shared_false_rumours_about_the_accused.html|last=Hasham|first=Alyshah|work=[[Toronto Star]]|title=Twitter harassment trial: Defence says complainant shared false rumours about the accused|date=November 12, 2014}}</ref><ref name="thestarUlteriorMotives">{{cite web|url=http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2014/05/14/twitter_harassment_trial_lawyer_suggests_complainant_had_ulterior_motive_for_going_to_police.html|last=Hasham|first=Alyshah|work=[[Toronto Star]]|title=Twitter harassment trial: Lawyer suggests complainant had ulterior motive for going to police|date=May 14, 2014}}</ref><ref name="french"/>


==Trial==
==Trial==

Revision as of 12:16, 21 January 2016

R. v. Elliott is an ongoing criminal trial based in Toronto, Canada. Gregory Alan Elliott stands accused of criminally harassing Stephanie Guthrie, following a protracted dispute via Twitter.

Background

Following her 2012 Kickstarter campaign for the Tropes vs. Women in Video Games video series, feminist critic Anita Sarkeesian began to receive large volumes of online harassment.[1][2] One form of harassment commonly decried in the media was a Newgrounds game in which players punched a photograph of Sarkeesian, causing her to appear progressively more bruised and injured.[3][4][5] The game's creator, Benjamin Spurr, who had previously made a similar game about punching Jack Thompson,[3] denied that the game promoted real violence against women. Detractors countered by pointing out what they considered the misogynist tenor of Spurr's statements.[6] Stephanie Guthrie, a Toronto-based feminist activist, was among those who objected to Spurr's game. Wanting to cause real-life consequences for Spurr's online activity, she contacted news organizations and potential employers in his hometown.[7][8][9]

Gregory Alan Elliott, a Toronto street artist,[10] criticized Guthrie's actions as "every bit as vicious as the face-punch game."[8] Elliott, who had met Guthrie when volunteering to perform graphic design for a poster, became a persistent critic of her activism.[11] After Guthrie blocked him on Twitter, he continued tweeting both political criticism and has been accused of making personal insults towards her and other local feminists.[11][12] Guthrie and some of her associates also continued to tweet mockery and accusations about Elliott after blocking him, including false accusations of pedophilia.[13][14][15]

Trial

Elliott was charged by the Crown in November 2012 for breach of a peace bond and criminal harassment of Guthrie, and two other accusers subsequently filed charges in January 2013.[16][17] The charge related to one of the women was subsequently dropped.[15] The case hinges on whether the women reasonably feared for their safety.[12][18] In cross-examination, Guthrie defended her continued tweeting about Elliott after having blocked him as being a means of fighting back against harassment.[19]

Reactions

Elliott is believed to be the first Canadian prosecuted solely for tweets, and several commentators believe the case has significant implications for freedom of speech in Canada.[12][15][18][20][21]

Writing in Vice, Sarah Ratchford criticizes coverage of the case by columnist Christie Blatchford and others as being hostile to the rights of women.[22]

A Toronto coffee shop has been the subject of controversy over artwork by Elliott that the shop displays.[10]

References

  1. ^ Lewis, Helen (July 6, 2012). "This is what online harassment looks like". New Statesman.
  2. ^ Watercutter, Angela (June 14, 2012). "Feminist take on games draws crude ridicule, massive support". Wired.
  3. ^ a b Starr, Michelle (July 10, 2012). "How to make gamers look bad". CNET.
  4. ^ Parkin, Simon (October 17, 2014). "Gamergate: A Scandal Erupts in the Video-Game Community". The New Yorker.
  5. ^ Funk, John (July 6, 2012). "Flash Game Makes Players Beat Up "Tropes vs. Women" Creator". The Escapist.
  6. ^ Klee, Miles (October 20, 2014). "Creator of 'Beat Up Anita Sarkeesian' says #Gamergate is anti-harassment". The Daily Dot.
  7. ^ Lyonnais, Sheena (July 9, 2012). "Toronto Tweeter Causes Uproar Over Violent "Beat Up Anita Sarkeesian" Game". Toronto Standard.
  8. ^ a b Blatchford, Christie (May 7, 2014). "Harassment case examines consequences of Internet wrath". Canada.com.
  9. ^ Casey, Liam (January 9, 2014). "Gregory Alan Elliott: Frustrations boil over in Twitter harassment trial". Toronto Star.
  10. ^ a b Niedoba, Sarah (October 21, 2015). "Extra, Extra: John Tory Talks SmartTrack in London, Back to the Future for the Jays, and a Café Criticized for its Art". Torontoist.
  11. ^ a b Blatchford, Christie (July 23, 2014). "Blatchford: Twitter harassment complainant Stephanie Guthrie says she wasn't 'perfect victim'". Canada.com.
  12. ^ a b c Hasham, Alyshah (July 24, 2014). "Twitter harassment trial: Second complainant says accused wouldn't leave her alone". Toronto Star.
  13. ^ Hasham, Alyshah (November 12, 2014). "Twitter harassment trial: Defence says complainant shared false rumours about the accused". Toronto Star.
  14. ^ Hasham, Alyshah (May 14, 2014). "Twitter harassment trial: Lawyer suggests complainant had ulterior motive for going to police". Toronto Star.
  15. ^ a b c Nadeau, Jean-Phillippe (October 6, 2015). "Procès pour harcèlement criminel sur Twitter" [Trial for criminal harassment on Twitter]. CBC Radio Canada (in French).
  16. ^ https://www.thestar.com/news/crime/2014/01/07/when_does_tweeting_become_criminal_harassment.html
  17. ^ Casey, Liam (January 8, 2014). "First of three Toronto women testifies in Twitter harassment trial". Toronto Star.
  18. ^ a b Chittley, Jordan (January 7, 2014). "Toronto harassment case may show how tweets can lead to jail". CTV News.
  19. ^ Cross, Jessica Smith (July 21, 2015). "Women had a right to fight back, Crown argues in Toronto Twitter harassment trial". Metro News.
  20. ^ Blatchford, Christie (March 20, 2014). "New twist in Twitter harassment case". Canada.com.
  21. ^ Blatchford, Christie (July 14, 2015). "Christie Blatchford: Ruling in Twitter harassment trial could have enormous fallout for free speech". National Post.
  22. ^ Ratchford, Sarah (August 7, 2015). "Why Do So Many Of Canada's Women Columnists Write Like They Hate Women?". Vice.
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