Daily Express Headline; says: 'THE parents of Madeleine McCann have become the victims of a vicious hate campaign in Britain, it emerged yesterday. Several websites have been bombarded with “nasty and offensive” messages accusing Kate and Gerry McCann of not doing enough to protect their daughter from being snatched. One website was even forced to ban people from leaving messages about the case after being blitzed with “spiteful” contributions.It follows a smear campaign in Portugal where there have been calls for the couple to be prosecuted for leaving their children alone.The McCanns are facing growing criticism after the Portuguese media detailed alleged inconsistencies in their statements and those of their friends. The group of nine adults were dining just 50 yards from the couple’s apartment in Praia da Luz on May 3 when Madeleine was kidnapped. Members of the group were checking on Madeleine, four, and two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie every half-hour and insist they were acting responsibly.
But an article in a Portuguese magazine has bizarrely accused Madeleine’s parents and the other families of hiding behind a “pact of silence”. The McCanns, from Rothley, Leics, have been unable to defend themselves against allegations of a “cover-up”. Under strict Portuguese privacy laws, they are banned from publicly talking about the police investigation.But the story has led to the pair facing a wave of criticism on chatroom internet sites about the case, including one run by their local newspaper.
The Leicester Mercury has been forced to remove its message facility after “nasty” comments reached a peak following claims that Madeleine’s parents could be prosecuted for neglect. Editor Nick Carter said yesterday: “A tiny minority of people seem to want to say nasty, spiteful and defamatory things about the McCann family. “They are bombarding our site and we had no choice but to block comment entirely on reports about the family. “We have to monitor what is said to make sure people are not posting comments that might be libelous, breach the law or cause gratuitous offence.”
Last night Madeleine’s great-uncle Brian Kennedy, also from Rothley, condemned the hate-campaigners. He said: “It is sad but inevitable that you do get comments like this. I don’t know why people do it. They must get some sort of satisfaction out of it. The Mercury newspaper has been extremely kind and supportive towards us and the family, and I’m sure everyone is grateful they have taken this line.”
Nope ... it's not the recent US stuff (not this section of the story anyway) but it is still old news.
