Campus Watch vs. Alt Right Feud Enters Second Week

Critic still happy to let them fight it out

University Proctor Dave Scott is investigating allegations of Campus Watch harassment, after a student posted a video of his interaction with officers online. 

Malcolm Moncreif-Spittle, an alt-right activist, had been putting up posters promoting a far-right Youtuber. The previous week, as reported in Critic, Campus Watch had removed a number of his posters that had pictures of other students on them, but he was told that his posters of the Youtuber could remain. 

This week, while on the way to an anti-fluoride lecture, he was stopped by a Campus Watch officer, who asked if he had been putting up posters in the Richardson building. In the video, Malcolm insisted that he was allowed to put up the posters, asked what the problem was and demanded the officer give his name. 

The officer didn’t answer but did turn around and say, “I’m telling you now, you’re not allowed to film me. I’m telling you now. Stop filming me. I’m telling you to stop filming me. I’m asking you to stop filming me”.  

It is legal to film other people in a public place in New Zealand. 

Malcolm turned around and walked away from the officer, who pursued him, again insisting that he stop filming, saying “you’re harassing me by filming me”. Malcolm replied incredulously, “You’re harassing me?” 

The video then shows the officer appearing to call the police, as he pursues Malcolm from near the Staff Club to the Burns building. 

The officer again insists that Malcolm stop filming him, saying, “I’ve asked you to stop, that’s harassment. If I ask you to stop doing something that’s threating me, that’s harassment”.

Malcolm asked for the officer’s first name. The officer did not respond, and a Critic investigation has been unable to determine whether it was “Campus” or “Watch”.

Riding a bike, Malcolm then went up to some other Campus Watch officers and said, “I am not happy with the way that officer has been treating me. I am very unhappy and I would like to know his name and I would like to make a complaint”.

The second officer replied, “I’m happy to talk to you if you put the phone down”. Malcolm reiterated that he was filming in a public place, and the officer walked away. 

Speaking to Critic, Malcolm said, “I felt very intimidated by him. It was unnecessary”.

Proctor Dave Scott said he was unable to comment without knowing all the facts, as the matter was “not yet fully understood nor investigated”. Arrangements have been made to meet with Malcolm in the near future. A university spokesman confirmed that Scott intended to meet with the officer in question. 

This article first appeared in Issue 22, 2018.
Posted 11:21pm Thursday 6th September 2018 by Joel MacManus.