Dear editor,
I am absolutely appalled to learn from Cllr Meader’s report in Thursday’s Bedford Independent that at least ten Bedford councillors have received death threats.
Read: “Being a councillor can be rewarding but over a fifth have received death threats”
This is a serious criminal offence. I wonder how much action has been taken by the police to trace these criminals. Most email addresses can be traced via the internet providers with a court order, so we should, by now, have heard of people being charged with these offences.
We take the power of free speech for granted in this country. To propose arguments and counterarguments may, at times, anger opponents, but the right to speak freely without threat is the pillar of democracy.
Anyone who starts threatening death or violence to those who have different opinions to their own is attacking our very democracy. The police must prioritise this over almost everything else.
The Mayor needs to take a stand on this and demand that the police do all in their power to restore to our councillors the right to speak freely, without threat.
A believer in democracy
Name and address supplied
Letters published do not reflect the views of the Bedford Independent.
If you would like to respond to any issues raised, please email
letters@bedfordindependent.co.uk.
