498

The 'We Support Dave Walker' Facebook group was formed in July to support Dave after Mark Brewer (new owner of SPCK bookshops) threatened Dave with libel if he didn't immediately stop blogging about SPCK, and remove all 75 of his posts dealing with the story so far. Dave complied, and hundreds of us are outraged by this attempt to bully a well-respected blogger, and to cover up some increasingly sordid facts.

Since then 498 people have joined the Facebook group, the last 2 members are both called Chris but I don't know if that's a continuing trend. If you're member no. 500 you get a free plug for your blog or a charity of your choice on the group, and here as well if you're desperate.

Meanwhile Phil Groom continues to faithfully follow the story, despite having recieved the same threats himself. Brewer's empire is itself holed below the waterline: an attempt to get his company declared bankrupt in the US courts thrown out, proceedings for abuse of the US court system begun by lawyers in the USA, and the green light for 30 employment tribunal claims against him in the UK was given at a hearing a couple of weeks ago. Add to that a growing petition for the former SPCK shop at Durham Cathedral to be handed over to the Cathedral chapter, and hair-raising accounts of the treatment of bookshop staff on the spck/ssg blog. No wonder he didn't want anyone blogging about it.

Tough.

What you whisper in secret will be shouted from the rooftops. Not because of malice, but because what has been done to Dave, and to SPCK staff, is a grave injustice, and until it is righted we will continue to shout. (and even the silenced blogs still speak)

Update: the Facebook offer is moving faster than the US banking sector. But you'll have to visit the group to see what I'm on about.