Nazis, Fear and Violence: When Reporting from Berlin Was Dangerous

A Nazi demonstration by the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin calling for a ‘strong Germany’, 1931. Photograph: Imagno/Getty Images
THE GUARDIAN: Our Germany correspondent salutes the man who did his job 100 years ago, when it was far more perilous and unpredictable

Frederick Augustus Voigt, who was the Manchester Guardian’s Berlin correspondent between 1920 and 1932, did not look like an intrepid reporter.

A 1935 portrait by the Bauhaus photographer Lucia Moholy makes it appear as though he wants to back away from the camera, distrustful eyes barricaded behind thick, round glasses. His physical appearance was described in his 1957 obituary as “fragile-looking and nervous in manner, shortsighted, with a trick of smiling from the mouth downwards.”

So nervy could Voigt be, he once confided to his editor that on a bad day he did not feel brave enough to cross a street during heavy traffic. “Like so many hatreds, my hatred of motorcars arises from fear.”

And yet brave is the only suitable adjective to describe Voigt’s journalism. Known as “Freddy” to colleagues in England, as “Fritz” to friends in Berlin, but only as “our own correspondent” to readers of the Manchester Guardian, Voigt always went straight to where the story was, even if the story might imperil his life. » | Philip Oltermann in Berlin | Monday, July 12, 2021

Guardian Investigation of Ivanka Trump Factory in Indonesia Reveals Worker Abuse, Deplorably Low Pay

A new investigation by the Guardian has revealed workplace abuse, grueling production targets and deplorably low pay at an Indonesian factory that makes clothing for Ivanka Trump’s clothing label. Many of the female workers at the factory in West Java say the pay is so low, they live in constant debt and can’t afford to live with their own children. In June, Democracy Now! spoke with the journalist who broke the story, Krithika Varagur, when she joined us from Indonesia to describe what she uncovered.

Public Has a Right to See Prince Charles’ Letters, Says Guardian Editor Alan Rusbridger

Alan Rusbridger, the editor-in-chief of the Guardian, discusses the government's attempts to block publication of letters the Prince of Wales wrote to ministers. Rusbridger says the public has a right to know what was in the letters, as it appears Charles attempted to influence policy. Three senior judges ruled that Dominic Grieve, the attorney general, acted unlawfully when he blocked the publication of the letters

Red-herring 'Inquisition': Guardian Editor Defends Snowden Leaks to MPs

Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger strongly defended his newspaper's publication of the Snowden leaks in response to a hostile grilling by a UK parliamentary committee Tuesday, as MPs attempted to show that national security was breached.

Guardian Journalists Could Face Criminal Charges Over Edward Snowden Leaks

Alan Rusbridger, Editor of 'The Guardian'

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Journalists at The Guardian newspaper are being investigated by anti-terror police over their roles in the Edward Snowden leaks, a senior policewoman confirms

Employees of The Guardian newspaper could face criminal charges over their role in publishing secrets leaked by Edward Snowden, Britain’s most senior counter-terrorism officer has signalled.

Cressida Dick, an assistant commissioner at Scotland Yard, confirmed for the first time that detectives were examining whether staff at the newspaper had committed an offence.

She also told MPs that her officers are looking at potential breaches of a specific anti-terrorism law which makes it unlawful to communicate information about British intelligence agents. The offence carries up to 10 years’ imprisonment. » | David Barrett, Home Affairs Correspondent | Tuesday, November 02, 2013

Guardian Editor Alan Rusbridger to Be Questioned by MPs over NSA Leaks

Alan Rusbridger, Editor of 'The Guardian'

THE GUARDIAN: Rusbridger to appear before home affairs select committee after claims that revelations were damaging national security

The editor of the Guardian is to be questioned by MPs about his newspaper's publication of intelligence files leaked by the American whistleblower Edward Snowden.

Alan Rusbridger is to appear before the House of Commons home affairs select committee next month following warnings from British security chiefs that the revelations were damaging national security.

"Alan has been invited to give evidence to the home affairs select committee and looks forward to appearing next month," a Guardian spokeswoman said.

The heads MI6, MI5 and GCHQ claim terrorist groups are changing their operations as a result of the leaks.

The exposure of surveillance methods had left al-Qaida "rubbing their hands with glee", the MI6 chief, Sir John Sawers, said when the trio made an unprecedented public appearance together before another parliamentary committee. » | Press Association | Saturday, November 09, 2013

Free Press? Editor Laments 'Retrogressive' Government Action

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: The Guardian has played a key role in exposing the intelligence agency excesses revealed in documents from whistleblower Edward Snowden. Editor Alan Rusbridger discusses his work and the mounting pressure by the British government to silence the leaks. » | Interview By Christoph Scheuermann | Tuesday, November 05, 2013

'Cameron Declares War On Investigative Journalism'

The British Prime Minister has called for an investigation into whether the Guardian newspaper broke the law - by publishing the Edward Snowden leaks that sent shockwaves about American surveillance worldwide. A parliamentary committee is now looking into it. Tony Gosling joins RT to discuss David Cameron's gunning for The Guardian.

Glenn Greenwald Announces Departure from the Guardian

Glenn Greenwald

THE GUARDIAN: Journalist who broke stories about widespread NSA surveillance leaving to pursue 'once-in-a-career journalistic opportunity'

Glenn Greenwald, the journalist who broke a string of stories about widespread electronic surveillance by the National Security Agency based on files leaked by whistleblower Edward Snowden, has announced that he is leaving the Guardian.

In a statement posted on his blog, Greenwald said: "My partnership with the Guardian has been extremely fruitful and fulfilling. I have high regard for the editors and journalists with whom I worked and am incredibly proud of what we achieved.

"The decision to leave was not an easy one, but I was presented with a once-in-a-career opportunity that no journalist could possibly decline. » | Guardian staff | Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Guardian's NSA Revelations: Spies to Go Under Spotlight

THE GUARDIAN: Deputy PM Nick Clegg says public accountability and trust to be examined in review of surveillance powers

British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg is to start conversations in government about how to update the legal oversight of the UK's security services in the light of disclosures by the Guardian that powerful new technologies appear to have outstripped the current system of legislative and political oversight.

Clegg's aides said he would be calling in experts from inside and outside Whitehall to discuss the implications of the new surveillance technologies for public accountability and trust. It is the first time such a senior figure in government has conceded that the revelations published in the Guardian have highlighted concerns about the accountability of the security services.

Clegg hinted at his plans in his weekly phone-in on London's LBC radio, saying: "I think it is right to ask whether there is anything more we can do to make sure the public feel accountability is working in this area properly. There is a totally legitimate debate about the power of these technologies, about how you get the balance right, how you do make sure these technologies are used in an accountable and proportionate way." » | Patrick Wintour, Rowena Mason and Dan Roberts in Washington | Thursday, October 10, 2013

THE GUARDIAN EDITORIAL: Spies and journalism: when worlds collide: The raging global discussion about the proper limits of surveillance of the past few months will become harder to ignore » | Editorial | Thursday, October 10, 2013

Miranda Detention: 'Blatant Attack on Press Freedom'

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: The detention of David Miranda -- partner of the Guardian journalist involved in the NSA revelations -- and the destruction of hard drives in the British newspaper's basement reveal one thing: Governments do not want their citizens to be informed when it comes to the topic of surveillance.

I woke up last Sunday in Berlin to an email from Glenn Greenwald with only one sentence: "I need to talk to you ASAP."

For the past three months, Glenn and I have been reporting on the NSA disclosures revealed to us by Edward Snowden.

I went online to the encrypted channel that Glenn and I use to communicate. He told me that he had just received a call telling him that his partner David Miranda was being detained at London's Heathrow airport under the Terrorism Act. David was traveling from Berlin where he had come to work with me. For the next six hours I was online with Glenn as he tried to find out what was happening to the person he loves most in the world. » | A Commentary by Laura Poitras | Monday, August 26, 2013

Janet Daley: It's Left-wing Prats Who Are Defending Our Freedoms

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The visit by national security agents to smash up computers at the Guardian newspaper is shocking, like something out of East Germany in the 1970s

A few weeks ago, a British national newspaper was visited by a detachment of national security agents who demanded that its computers and hard drives be destroyed. The security men then stood over its staff while they smashed their equipment to pieces. In the peace-time history of a free country, this incident is about as shocking as it gets. And yet, a remarkable consensus has grown up, including – I’m sorry to say – many on my side of the political fence, to the effect that this is no big deal.

The reasons that this scene – which looks, on the face of it, like something out of East Germany in the 1970s – is apparently perfectly acceptable seem to be: a) the data in the computers was a threat to the national security of this country and to that of our American allies; b) this information was stolen from the US government and published illegally by people who are narcissistic/eccentric/of dubious political judgment, and c) the newspaper in question was the Guardian, which is full of annoying Left-wing prats. Let’s consider these points in order of importance.

Taking a hammer to the hardware in the Guardian’s basement will make scarcely any difference to the dissemination of this data since duplicates reside in other locations around the globe. So presiding over the physical destruction of the newspaper’s property could only constitute a form of rather theatrical intimidation.

The official excuse for getting rid of the equipment – even though the data was known to exist elsewhere – was that the paper’s system might be insecure, so obliterating it meant that at least one source of potential leaks was eliminated. This would be far more credible if the National Security Agency (whose mass surveillance programme had been exposed) was as diligent in carrying out its prescribed function as it is in vindictively pursuing anyone who reports its unconstitutional activities to the world. Read on and comment » | Janet Daley | Saturday, August 24, 2013

My comment:

Guardianistas are defending our freedoms. Perhaps they don't call it The Guardian for nothing then.

PS: Excellent article by Janet Daley. – © Mark

This comment appears here too.

Miranda Rights: UK Takes Flak over Detention of Greenwald's Partner, File Destruction

A judge has ruled British police won't be able to fully inspect a lap-top or other items taken from the partner of a journalist who was involved in publishing NSA spy leaks. David Miranda was detained and questioned for nine hours under the Terrorism Act in London. The government's been under fire ever since detaining him, as well as forcing the Guardian newspaper to destroy files containing NSA data.

Nach Regierungsdruck: Britischer „Guardian“ will verstärkt aus Amerika berichten

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Trotz des Drucks der britischen Regierung will der „Guardian“ nichts an seinen Inhalten ändern. Dafür sollen seine Journalisten in Zukunft stärker aus den Vereinigten Staaten heraus berichten. Chefredakteur Rusbridger könne sich nicht vorstellen, dass dort jemand gegen sie vorgehen werde.

Der „Guardian“ lässt sich von den britischen Behörden nicht einschüchtern: Stärker als zuvor möchte die Tageszeitung, die zu den größten des Landes zählt, in Zukunft aus den Vereinigten Staaten heraus arbeiten und so dem Druck der Regierung in London entgehen. „Ich kann mir nicht vorstellen, dass irgendjemand in Amerika gegen den „Guardian“ vorgehen wird“, sagte Chefredakteur Alan Rusbridger in einem Interview mit dieser Zeitung. Es beruhige ihn mehr aus Amerika zu berichten, als aus dem Vereinigten Königreich. An den Inhalten des „Guardian“ werde sich nichts ändern: „Wir berichten einfach weiter“, sagte Rusbridger. » | Quelle: FAZ.NET/dpa/afp | Donnerstag, 22. August 2013

Druck auf den "Guardian": Cameron soll Schikanen angeordnet haben

21.08.2013 - Unter Aufsicht des britischen Geheimdienstes mussten die NSA-Enthüller ihr Recherchematerial zerstören. Das berichtet der "Guardian"-Chefredakteur. Der britische Premierminister soll angeordnet haben, die Redaktion unter Druck zu setzen.

Government Threats to Journos 'Signalling Rise of Fascism' - WikiLeaks

The Guardian's editor Alan Rusbridger said that UK authorities raided the paper's London office to destroy hard drives in a bid to stop further damaging publications. He also said that intelligence officials from the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) had told him that he had the option of handing over all the classified documents or seeing the newspaper's hard drives destroyed. For more RT talks to WikiLeaks spokesperson, Kristinn Hrafnsson.

Alan Rusbridger of The Guardian: I Would Rather Destroy the Copied Files Than Hand Them Back to the NSA and GCHQ

The Guardian's editor reveals why and how the newspaper destroyed computer hard drives containing copies of some of the secret files leaked by Edward Snowden. The decision was taken after a threat of legal action by the British government, that could have stopped the reporting on the extent of American and British state surveillance revealed by the document

British Asians Are Role Models, Says Cameron
THE OBSERVER: British asians [sic] provide a model for the rest of the country, David Cameron declares today, as he argues that many Asians cannot be blamed for failing to integrate.

In a powerful article in today's Observer, Cameron says that Britain's drug ridden cities are understandably alarming many Asians. 'The picture is seriously bleak: family breakdown, drugs, crime and incivility are part of the normal experience of modern Britain,' Cameron writes.

'Many British Asians see a society that hardly inspires them to integrate. Indeed, they see aspects of modern Britain which are a threat to the values they hold dear. Not for the first time, I found myself thinking that it is mainstream Britain which needs to integrate more with the British Asian way of life, not the other way around.'

Cameron wrote today's article after spending two days with a British Asian family in Birmingham. The Tory leader stayed in the spare bedroom of Abdullah and Shahida Rehman's house and enjoyed a curry with the family.

During his stay Cameron learned how Muslims feel marginalised in today's Britain with one upsetting issue being the use of language.

'We must be careful about the language we use,' he writes. 'Many Muslims ... are deeply offended by the use of the word "Islamic" or "Islamist" to describe the terrorist threat we face today.' [Source: Guardian/Observer] Nicholas Watt and Jamie Doward | Sunday, May 13, 2007

Guardian’s Tehran Correspondent Expelled from Iran
THE GUARDIAN: The Guardian's Tehran correspondent, Robert Tait, has been expelled from Iran without explanation after nearly three years of reporting from the country.

Tait was forced to leave the country after the Iranian authorities declined to renew his visa and residence permit, despite an appeal on his behalf from the Guardian's editor, Alan Rusbridger, to Iran's culture and Islamic guidance ministry, which supervises the activities of all foreign and domestic media. He is now back in the UK, along with his Iranian wife.

The ministry gave no reason for its decision but said the newspaper was free to propose another journalist as its correspondent in Iran. Guardian's Tehran correspondent expelled without explanation >>>

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