Cameron’s fury at thousands who joined Facebook tributes to ‘callous murderer’ Raoul Moat
Downing Street is to contact Facebook to express the Prime Minister’s dismay after hundreds of people left messages of sympathy on the website for gunman Roaul Moat.
David Cameron said yesterday that he simply could not understand why anyone would feel sorry for a ‘callous murderer’.
Flowers have been left at the scene of Mr Moat’s death in Northumberland, and more than 30,000 people have joined a group on the social networking site Facebook to pay tribute to the gunman.
Now Mr Cameron has instructed an official at No 10 to contact Facebook to express his anger.
But last night the website refused point blank to take the site down, despite the fact that its members are openly attacking a policeman he blinded and bemoaning the fact he did not kill many more.
Fugitive fury: David Cameron said today there should be no sympathy for callous murderer Raoul Moat
A spokeswoman for Facebook said that ‘those who think he is a hero are entitled to their opinion’.
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Question Time, Mr Cameron said: ‘It is absolutely clear that Raoul Moat was a callous murderer, full stop, end of story.
‘I cannot understand any wave, however small, of public sympathy for this man.
‘There should be sympathy for his victims and the havoc he wreaked in that community. There should be no sympathy for him.’
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He was responding to a question from Conservative MP Chris Heaton-Harris, who suggested he contact Facebook to request that the ‘RIP Raoul Moat You Legend’ group page be taken down.
Mr Heaton-Harris said the site contained many anti-police statements.
Last night the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘An official in Number 10 will speak to Facebook to ask them if they saw Prime Minister’s Questions, and pass on the Prime Minister’s dismay.’
Public sympathy: Passersby take photographs on their mobile phones at the spot where Moat committed suicide in the village of Rothbury , Northumberland
Misplaced sympathy: Some of the messages left outside Moat’s home in Fenham
Moat went on the run after killing his ex-girlfriend Samantha Stobbart’s new lover Chris Brown, 29, and seriously injuring her.
The following day he blasted police officer David Rathband, 42, with a shotgun, blinding him. But on Friday night he killed himself in Rothbbury after the police caught up with him.
Comments on the Facebook site expose the appalling opinions of Britain’s underclass. Many of them say Moat was justified in killing his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend – while others say he should have killed more policemen.
One member of the group, Jamie Sullivan, wrote: ‘He got pushed to the edge by a lying scummy girlfriend who told him she was shagging a copper: she tried to wind him up and it worked quite well.
‘He only done what every guy in jail says he would do if his partner cheated while inside – difference is he wasn’t all mouth! Stupid little b****, bet she feels stupid.’
Maja Brodowski, 32, who teaches at a Polish school in Berwick, visited the scene where Moat was killed to place a floral tribute. She said: ‘It was a tragic end, very sad – not just for the victims but for Moat as well,’ she said.
Flowers left for a fugitive: Wellwishers place bouquets beside the storm drain where Raoul Moat hid for days
Tributes: The RIP Raoul Moat You Legend! page on Facebook has attracted more than 30,000 people
‘He was clearly a very emotional man who didn’t know how to deal or express those deep feelings and things rapidly got out of hand. It is so very sad.’
Moat’s former home in Fenham, Newcastle, was also turned into a shrine.
One note read: ‘Raoul Moat – Mis-Understood. No need to feel trapped or bullied now. You have won hearts of the real people now. It’s just a shame they didn’t listen years ago. Now your (sic) back together with your gran. She loved and understood you.’
Another message to the dead killer read: ‘Time will tell the real reasons why it’s all come to this. We know what and why you were made to feel this way mate.
‘It’s just so hard to hear the person that they make you out to be. We are all going to miss you and you were loved and respected by all of us your old childhood to present mates.’
One bouquet had the message: ‘I know the heartache you have been through with your kids, and all of the other stuff. You were there to keep my chin up mate when I went through the same, and you will never be forgotton (sic).’
On Facebook, Matthew Sharma said: ‘If my Mrs ever does to me what she did to Raoul I hope I’m brave enough to do a Moaty.’
The victims: Ex-girlfriend Samantha Stobbart, 22, was wounded, her new partner, 29-year-old Chris Brown, shot dead and PC David Rathband, 42, was injured
Terrianne ‘Courtney’ Robinson wrote: ‘He’s a f***in LEGEND for attempting to kill the police – should have taken a lot more down with him! R.I.P Big Man.’
Another member, Natasha Aish-Miami Field, crowed: ‘This group was mentioned by David Cameron in Parliament today: We’ve made British Facebook history :).
‘It’s sad Cameron called him a “callous murderer” when he was just misunderstood and had nobody. Maybe the UK needs to help people like Moat before things like this can happen again.’
Andrew Mcbean asked: ‘Does David Cameron not have better things to do than sit on Facebook?’, while Neil Robinson said: ‘Cameron should be more concerned about the way his Plod’s handled the whole thing. People that are leaving flowers are showing their respect for a man who was wronged badly by the system. He stood up to system and they don’t like it.’
Linda Smith claimed Moat was the real victim, saying: ‘He needed help but never got it, let down by the mental health system. If he’d have been foreign he’d be in a big council house with loads of money now and support.’
Member Owen Moat even said: ‘I wish Raoul Moat was my dad!’
The tributes were condemned by Britain’s most senior police officer, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson, who said they were ‘extraordinarily disappointing’.
Last night a spokeswoman for Facebook said the group would not be removed.
‘Lots of people have different opinions on the situation; what is right and wrong,’ he said.
‘Just as conversations happen in pubs and on the bus, they happen online. No one person’s opinion is right and wrong.
‘Ninety per cent may think he is an despicable man – but those 10 per cent who think he is a hero are entitled to their opinion.
‘We’ve looked at this group and it doesn’t violate our statement of rights and responsibilities. Just because people don’t like others’ opinions, that is no reason to take it down.’
Mohammed Abbasi 
This is the biggest bullshit I have ever read.
Great idea, thanks for this post!
Hey, ok, I get it, I guess – but does this really work?