Mobs attack suspected paedophiles

By Thomas Abraham

LONDON, AUG. 11. Mob rule has broken out in housing estates in different parts of England as crowds of vigilantes have targeted suspected paedophiles following a tabloid newspaper campaign to ``name and shame'' child sex offenders.

For several days, vigilante groups have been attacking the homes of suspected paedophiles in the Paulsgrove estate in Portsmouth, the area worst affected by the mob action. A number of offenders, as well as innocent families have been driven out of their homes. The protesters, many of them women and children, have also burned cars and attacked the police.

The disturbances began after the News of the World, a tabloid, began publishing the names and addresses of those it described as paedophiles in response to the abduction and killing of an eight- year-old girl. Many of those named are believed to be previously convicted offenders who have served their sentences and have now returned to normal life. Concerned parents, egged on by violent elements, are now determined to chase these people from their homes. The police and social service authorities, who keep an eye on released child sex offenders, have said the campaign is counter-productive, since it would be difficult to monitor them once they were chased out of their homes.

The campaign has seen an eruption of hatred and violence, with small children being egged on by their parents to hurl abuse and shout slogans. In the Paulsgrove estate, the leaders of the campaign say they have a list of 20-30 people whom they want forced out of their homes.

But the number of innocent victims is likely to grow, and be exploited by people with other political agendas. For example, a 29-year-old Asian man was beaten in Berkshire by a group of vigilantes. In another case, a family of five was forced to leave their home by a group of slogan-shouting vigilantes who thought the father was a paedophile.

The News of the World has come under increasing criticism for having published names of suspected paedophiles, and a Labour MP has called for the newspaper to be prosecuted. The newspaper has defended its actions and said that it had only wanted parents to be vigilant, but not to take vigilante action. Mr Corbett, the Labour MP, however, described the campaign as ``the ugly face of hatred'', and said he had asked the Home Office ``whether they would consider prosecution for incitement for public order offences.'' A Church of England bishop also weighed into the debate and said the tabloid has a lot to answer for.''

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Section  : International
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