Anti-LGBTQ+ activist Caroline Farrow rages against trans people as she’s being arrested
Caroline Farrow was arrested on suspicion of malicious communications and harassment. (Twitter/ CF_Farrow)
Journalist Caroline Farrow has been arrested on charges of malicious communications and harassment, police have confirmed.
Farrow is an anti-trans, anti-gay Catholic activist, who is also the UK campaign director for the far-right lobby group CitizenGo.
On Monday evening (3 October), Farrow took to Twitter to describe how it was “teatime” and she was “doing a roast chicken” when two police officers arrived at her home and told her she was being arrested.
A thread about my evening.
Teatime. I was doing a roast chicken. Knock at the door. Two coppers. There’s been an allegation of harassment and malicious comms and we’ve come to arrest you.
— Caroline Farrow (@CF_Farrow) October 4, 2022
“When read my rights and told that what I said could be used in evidence against me, I replied that women don’t have a penis,” she tweeted.
The officers seized her electronic devices, and Farrow claims they “frisked” her before taking her to Guildford police station for questioning.
She then tweeted: “One minute I am cooking some roast chicken for dinner, the next I am having my socks searched for drugs.”
I know it’s procedure, but one minute I am cooking some roast chicken for dinner, the next I am having my socks searched for drugs, because of “insulting posts on the internet.”— Caroline Farrow (@CF_Farrow) October 4, 2022
Caroline Farrow says she’s innocent because she was playing a church organ
According to Caroline Farrow, the allegations relate to posts made in June this year on the hate forum Kiwi Farms, where users have been accused of involvement in some of the most notorious harassment campaigns towards members of the LGBTQ+ community, particularly trans people, in recent years.
Farrow denies that the posts in question came from her, because she was playing a church organ at the time.
She tweeted: “On Sunday 19 June 2022 I was playing the church organ for the 11am Mass at Holy Angels.
“A number of accounts posted during that time on KiwiFarms. Tonight the police accused me of being these accounts. A brief check on YouTube would provide an alibi.
“Anyone who has played organ for Mass will understand that you cannot be playing on your phone and posting on the internet. It’s not just hymns but also the Mass setting.
“Besides which I rarely use a phone unless I am visiting a new church and am using the Laudate app for readings.”
Farrow also tweeted that she believes the accusations against her were made by a “TRA” – “trans rights activist” – but told her followers: “I’d ask people not to speculate on who reported me, because they will claim harassment.”
In a statement to PinkNews, Surrey police confirmed: “On Monday, 3 October, officers attended an address in the Guildford area as part of an investigation into allegations of malicious communications (sending of indecent, grossly offensive messages, threats, or information) and harassment.
“A 48-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of both offences.
“A number of electronic devices were seized as potential evidence from this address under section 19 of PACE. Where an offence is alleged to have been committed on an electronic device, for example, it may hold a key piece of evidence and may routinely be seized during an investigation.
“The woman was taken to Guildford police station where she was interviewed. She has now been released under investigation and inquiries remain ongoing.”
Temporary detective chief inspector David Bentley said: “There is significant commentary on social media around the perceived circumstances behind this investigation. We do not have the freedom of detailing every stage of our inquiries or the specifics of an allegation on social media as it is critical we do not pre-empt or prejudice any future proceedings at any stage.
“The investigation into these allegations is very much ongoing and the relevant inquiries are being carried out. We have a duty to protect the integrity of an investigation, so we will not be providing a running commentary on this case.”
