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BBC News NI reported that during a recent meeting at Stormont for parents of young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN), disturbing content was posted online. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is currently investigating the incident where swastikas, genitals, and threats of sexual violence towards children were shared. The meeting, which took place at Parliament Buildings in Stormont, was attended by parents, young people, and MLAs. An individual who had joined the meeting remotely online posted explicit images and messages that were threatening in nature.
The meeting, titled “Equity in Education,” was held in Stormont’s Long Gallery to launch the results of a study on the challenges faced by families of children with SEN. Fiona Cole, who was involved in organizing the event, described the incident as a “hate crime.” The individual, using the alias Gemma, accessed the Zoom call and displayed inappropriate content, including drawings of genitals and swastikas, along with disturbing messages towards children. Due to the nature of the content, the event had to be closed immediately as a safeguarding measure.
Around 120 people attended the event in person, with 46 participants joining via Zoom. No children were reported to have seen the explicit content, but organizers reached out to ensure the well-being of online attendees. The incident left many feeling vulnerable and concerned, with some finding it difficult to cope with the shock of what had occurred. The organizers, SEN Reform NI and Caleb’s Cause NI, are considering restricting online access to future meetings to prevent similar incidents from happening.
Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon expressed her distress at the upsetting events that transpired during the Zoom call. She emphasized the importance of providing better support for children with special educational needs and condemned the offensive and illegal content that was shared. In a joint statement, SEN Reform NI and Caleb’s Cause NI apologized for the incident and described the behavior displayed as “absolutely disgusting.” The organizations are reviewing their safeguarding procedures and have reported the individual responsible to the PSNI for their actions
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