A judge in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia has ordered tech giant Google to hand over information linked to a blog critical of the far-left extremist group Antifa after allegations of cyberbullying.
The request comes after a complaint from a Nova Scotia couple, Darius Mirshahi and Sakura Saunders, who the blog had previously alleged were leaders in a Canadian branch of the far-left anarcho-communist Antifa group.
The blog “Antifa: Exposed” has since gone offline after previously being hosted by the Google-owned platform Blogger.com.
The couple alleges that the blog labelled them leaders of a “domestic terrorist organization” and claims the posts “have caused them psychological stress and fear that they will be targeted with violence”, Canadian broadcaster CBC reports.
“The blog alleges the applicants are a member and a leader of a domestic terrorist organization, which uses extreme violence against those they disagree with the intent of destroying civilization,” the court filing states.
“The blog alleges the applicant Sakura Saunders made trips to Australia to organize student riots. The blog alleges the applicant Sakura Saunders engages in criminal projects,” it adds.
Saunders, described as a social justice activist in court filings, is an American-born far-left activist and her anarchy-themed wedding to her partner was detailed in 2012 by alternative Edmonton-based newspaper Vue Weekly.
“Saunders married her partner in Toronto this past summer. As environmentalists and anarchists, the wedding was designed to not only be a celebration of the couple’s love, but also of the political beliefs that existed within their relationship,” the magazine stated.
According to CBC, the ‘Antifa: Exposed’ blog published photographs of the wedding which allegedly also identified prominent Antifa anarchists among the guests.
The broadcaster notes that Google has until the end of the month to provide the identifying information associated with the blog.
The case comes just weeks after police arrested an alleged Canadian Antifa leader named Alex Hundert in Ontario. He was placed under house arrest in Toronto after being active in first nations land disputes known as the “1492 land back lane” movement.
Hundert, 41, was also banned from the Six-Nations reservation and was described by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) as being an anarchist with a history of violent behaviour.
According to the Two Row Times, a Six Nations based newspaper, Hundert is alleged to be connected to an occupation action last year in which millions of dollars of construction equipment were stolen, and roads were dug up in the Haldimand County area.
Hundert had previously been sentenced to 13 and a half months in prison in 2012 for making a “target list” of political offices and banks ahead of the 2010 G2o protests in Toronto.
Last year, a Canadian far-left extremist Antifa website also called for the sabotage of Canadian railways in stated solidarity with Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs opposing a pipeline project going through their historic territory.
“Rail sabotage works as both a tactic and a strategy, and so we’re calling for ongoing rail disruptions in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en people who are currently defending their unceded territory from industry and police invasion,” the website stated.
Just days after the call, Canadian Transport Minister Marc Garneau admitted that railways had been tampered with.