A women's rights campaigner who put up stickers and posters in Newport, Wales, has been arrested by police for 'criminal damage' and 'abusive writing' after people allegedly complained that her posters carried an 'anti-transgender message'.
Jennifer Swayne, 53, was arrested on Sunday afternoon and detained until the early hours of the morning, while police officers executed a search warrant on her property and confiscated women's rights stickers and a book containing a collection of critical essays about the theory and practice of transgendering children.
Some of the stickers and posters put up by Swayne carried feminist messages decrying violence against women, but others which bore phrases such as 'no men in women's prisons' and 'humans never change sex' were reported as being offensive.
Gwent police released a statement earlier this week alleging they had received complaints about the 'offensive messages' over a period of several months and that the posters contained 'abusive writing likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress'.
Swayne meanwhile took to social media to argue that her messages were not anti-trans but pro-women and alleged that her 'thinking was being investigated' rather than her actions.
Fair Cop, an organisation which campaigns against the criminalisation of free speech, has since volunteered to support Swayne with any legal proceedings that arise.
Jennifer Swayne, 53, was arrested on Sunday afternoon and detained until the early hours of the morning, while police officers executed a search warrant on her property and confiscated women's rights stickers and a book containing a collection of critical essays about the theory and practice of transgendering children
Swayne meanwhile took to social media to argue that her messages were not anti-trans but pro-women. She later alleged that her 'thinking was being investigated' rather than her actions
Some of the stickers and posters put up by Swayne carried feminist messages decrying violence against women, but others which bore phrases such as 'no men in women's prisons' and 'humans never change sex' were reported as being offensive
Fair Cop, an organisation which campaigns against the criminalisation of free speech, has since volunteered to support Swayne with any legal proceedings that arise
Some of the stickers and posters made by Swayne were emblazoned with phrases such as 'no child is born in the wrong body, humans never change sex', 'Woman = Adult Human Female' and 'Are you happy for your 13-year-old daughter to shower next to an adult man, yes or no?'.
Gwent police on Tuesday released a statement explaining the circumstances surrounding the arrest.
Superintendent Vicki Townsend said: 'We've received several reports in relation to posters containing offensive material appearing in Newport between October and January.
'Officers on patrol in Newport saw a woman spraying stickers to two lampposts.
'A 53-year-old woman from Newport was arrested on suspicion of
