The cyber-activist group Anonymous is once again wading into the tragic suicide death of Halifax teen Rehtaeh Parsons, slamming those involved in the investigation of her alleged rape and bullying and reiterating that it knows the names of the teens responsible.
In a public statement released online Thursday morning, the group took aim at not just the teens responsible, but the school administrators, police and politicians who the group says failed Rehtaeh.
âAll of you have created a mess and instead of taking responsibility and cleaning it up, the first thing you did yesterday morning was get on television and defend your jobs,â the statement said.
The group took special aim at Nova Scotia Justice Minister Ross Landry, who they said showed âzero classâ by first refusing to order a review of the police investigation, and then changing his mind.
The group said Rossâ reversal âis clearly an indication that his sudden interest is purely an act of public relations damage-control.â
âYou should be really ashamed of yourself,â the group said to Landry.
N.S. Premier Darrell Dexter told CTVâs Power Play on Thursday that he was âhopefulâ for a legal response to Rehtaehâs alleged cyber bullying, but noted that changes need to be made under the criminal code for cybercrimes -- and that involves a discussion with Ottawa.
âBoth the question of telecommunications and the question of the criminal code reside with the federal government and not with the province, and that is part of the problem in terms of a response, because whether itâs the police agency or the provincial departments, they can only deal with the tools that they have,â he said.
Earlier in the day, Landry told CTVâs Canada AM that he ordered a review in the case because of the public outcry.
âWhatâs at issue now is the public reaction and lack of confidence in this matter,â Landry said.
âEven if policies are being followed, that doesnât matter if the public doesnât believe in it and doesnât have confidence in it. So itâs my job and responsibility to say. âHey, we have to do something to do something different.ââ
Anonymous says they are confident they know the identities of the four boys who allegedly raped Parsons and have threatened to reveal their identities if authorities do not press charges.
âPlease be aware that there are other groups of Anons also attempting to uncover this information and they may not to wish to wait at all. Better act fast,â the group said in a statement on Wednesday.
Nova Scotia RCMP has called on the public to refrain from any attempts at vigilante justice, noting that misinformation is circulating on both traditional and social media that is not based on evidence.
âWe are discouraging anyone from taking the law into their own hands, or in any way encouraging vigilante justice," Cpl. Scott MacRae said in a statement Wednesday evening.
Anonymous also pointed the finger of blame at the Cole Harbour school system, saying âit is truly disturbingâ that photos of alleged rape were being shared through the school and Rehtaeh was being bullied without any staff noticing.
âIt's your job to know,â the group said. âIf the administration of that school had any honor, they would all resign for failing to meet the terms of their employment.â
Earlier Thursday, Halifax Regional School Board Superintendent Judy White told CTV the board takes bullying âvery seriouslyâ and all staff have undergone extensive training. But she added that bullied kids frequently do not come forward.
âFirst and foremost, you have to know itâs happening; someone has to share that with you. And quite often, that doesnât happen,â White said.
âSociety is very different today. We didnât have the social media we have today and that puts a whole new spin on what people years ago meant when they talked about âbullyingâ,â she said.
White added that administrators at Parsonsâ school were not kept informed of the progress of the police investigation after police began its probe.
âThe investigation, we assumed, was ongoing. It was only this week that that the principal heard that the investigation was over,â White said.
Rehtaehâs mother Leah Parsons has criticized the investigation, saying police waited 10 months before interviewing the boys she suspects raped Rehtaeh.
White says the school didnât take its own action in the matter because it didnât want to interfere with the police.
âIn a situation involving a criminal investigation, we usually step back and allow the RCMP to do what they do best, which is to investigate the crime. We support them but we do not interfere with that investigation,â White said.
The RCMP eventually decided there was not enough evidence to lay charges. That was despite claims that photographs of the alleged attack were circulated among students at the school.
Leah Parsons has said her daughter struggled with depression after the alleged rape and endured bullying from her schoolmates, in person and online, for more than a year.
On Wednesday, school board spokesman Doug Hadley said the school was never aware that a photo was circulating among the students that allegedly showed the rape.
âThe school never saw a photo, never saw any evidence of a photo, didnât know of anyone speaking about a photo,â he said.
The provinceâs education ministry has asked the school board to review its actions in the case.
Parsons attempted suicide last Thursday and was taken off life support on Sunday. Her organs were donated to four recipients.
Her funeral is scheduled for Saturday.