UK Jewish TV Star and Activist Against Antisemitism Rachel Riley Wins Legal Victory Over Internet Troll
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by Benjamin Kerstein
Rachel Riley during an interview with Britain’s Channel 4 News. Photo: Screenshot.
UK Jewish television presenter and activist against antisemitism Rachel Riley has won a major legal victory against an internet troll who harassed her.
It was reported on Thursday that a High Court judge had found that Daniel Bennett — who harassed Riley under the name “Harry Tuttle,” a reference to a subversive saboteur in the film “Brazil” — must disclose all tweets referring to Riley.
The judge further ruled that Bennett had used his Twitter platform “as a medium to attack a number of Jewish people by harassing and defaming them.”
Bennett must further provide tweets to online researcher and pro-Israel commentator David Collier, who is also charging harassment and defamation.
Bennett has confessed that the account was his, but has not taken responsibility for the offending tweets.
Another of Bennett’s accusers, actress Tracy Ann Oberman, will not receive the tweets referring to her, with the judge ruling the evidence in her case was “substantially weaker.”
Riley posted a triumphant message to Twitter following the ruling, saying, “I hope this sends shivers down the spines of anonymous Twitter trolls.”
“If you don’t want to be sued, don’t harass or libel,” she added. “Anonymity won’t protect you.”
I hope this sends shivers down the spines of anonymous Twitter trolls.
If you don’t want to be sued, don’t harass or libel. Anonymity won’t protect you.
Thank you again @MLewisLawyer. https://t.co/Iyiv96XkR5
— Rachel Riley MBE 💙 (@RachelRileyRR) July 16, 2020
Riley received the 2019 “Warrior for Truth” award at The Algemeiner’s J100 gala in New York City.
In her acceptance speech, Riley said, “In the face of hate, there is a moral duty to act.”
“I’ll seek to inoculate the many against the few liars and extremists who seek to define Jews as underhand political operators, working covertly against all that is good and just in the world,” she added.
“I’ve made a commitment to do one thing above all else: I’ll not cower in the face of hate,” Riley declared.
