Kate and Gerry McCann are vilified, condemned and armchair detectives have become judge, jury and executioner as to whether the McCanns played a part in what happened to their daughter.
The Police Files clearly state that no crimes were committed and what suspicions the PJ initially had, to warrant the McCanns being made arguidos, were not confirmed or consolidated.
However this does not stop people.
During the last 6 years these actions have been carried out against the McCann family
Leafleting their neighbours.
Leaving leaflets at Gerry McCann's work place.
Sending a book to them and then saying because they never replied to it, it is OK to repeat those accusations because the family have not denied them.
Writing to social services about the welfare of the twins.
Sitting behind Gerry McCann at the press select hearing, just to intimidate him.
Heckling the father of a missing child in Portugal.
Ripping down posters.
Plots to kidnap the twins to make them confess.
People jumping over the garden fence.
A person standing in front of their home having their photograph taken.
Being constantly accused of harming their daughter.
Being constantly accused of defrauding the Find Madeleine Fund.
GMC being contacted as to whether the McCanns were fit to practice medicine. (Thank you Rachael Granada for remembering this one.
and so on and so on.
Yes those that doubt the McCanns will play the 'McCanns are ruining Goncalo's life'.
Correction. The McCanns are not to blame for that one.
Goncalo Amaral wrote a book, the McCanns felt it hindered the search for their daughter as well as the book and documentary were libellous as it led the reader/viewer to believe that Madeleine was deceased and that the McCanns were involved in what happened.
The McCanns, took the legal route, which is well within their rights.
As they did with Mr Bennett, who played a part in the majority of those actions (listed above) that can be perceived as harassment or persecution.
If I posted on here that so and so murdered Mr A and disposed of Mr A's body and then wrote a book about it, and did so without evidence to back up my claims, then I am liable for libel proceedings to be initiated against me. You just can't go around accusing people of heinous crimes. And you can't go around saying someone is deceased without proof and that is what Goncalo Amaral clearly states in his book.
The McCanns apart from having to deal with the emotional rollercoaster of their daughter being taken, they have had to endure all those things listed above. But not once, have I seen letters written to people from the McCanns or the McCanns playing tit for tat. What action they have taken, has been via solicitors and has been dealt with in Courts of Law. They have not embarked on a persecution campaign with any person.
The only letter I have read, is the one where Kate McCann writes to Paulo Rebelo pleading and begging for the PJ to work with them to help find Madeleine. And again that letter became public knowledge due to the Police Files being made public. The McCanns wrote in confidence to the Police begging their assistance.
4th December 2007
Dear Mr Rebelo,
I hope you do not mind me writing to you and that you will read my letter. I am Madeleine McCann's mother.
I am not sure if you are a parent or not, but for my husband and myself, and the whole of our family, the last seven months has been the most difficult, sad and unbearable time that any parent could possibly imagine. Madeleine is the most precious thing in our life.
As her mother, the pain and anxiety I feel for her is indescribable and the feeling of helplessness overwhelming. The 'accusations' and media smearing, although upsetting, are very much secondary.
I am appealing to you as a fellow human being to work with us (if possible include us) and to remember that we are Madeleine's parents and have needs.
With regard to this latter point, I would be grateful if you were able to keep us informed to some degree as to how the investigation is going - what work is being done to help find our daughter etc.
I'm sure you will agree that this request is not unreasonable and is in fact humane.
I am fairly familiar now with the workings of 'judicial secrecy' but even if we could have a little bit of information in the broadest of terms it would help.
Lack of communication and a void of information, particularly as the parent of a missing child, is torture. We will continue to work with the PJ (and are keen to do so as soon as possible!) as we have done since that moment when I discovered that Madeleine had been taken.
This shouldn't be about 'finger-pointing blame', nor should it be about differences in culture. It should be about a beautiful, innocent little girl who is still missing. She is the victim in all of this.
It would be good for Madeleine if we could all work together to help find her and the person(s) who took her.
I would be very grateful if you could give some thought and consideration to my letter and look forward to your reply. I can only ask.
Yours sincerely,
Kate McCann.
Even Sofia Leal, the wife, ex-wife (god knows which, it changes by the minute) decided to play a part in this campaign of adding more pain to a family who have a child missing, by writing an open letter to Kate McCann. Which must have caused Kate McCann great stress, if she read it. And what the heck Goncalo's not climbing the ladder, because he would not parade himself up and down the corridors of the PJ Institute has to do with the McCanns or Madeleine's disappearance, I don't know. That letter reads to me as a letter written to Kate to try to blame her and her family and to make them feel guilty, for the lack of promotion and career prospects, due to her own husband's failings.
http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2008/09/open-letter-gonalo-amaral-wife-reacts.htmlJust because Kate McCann said in an interview to Expresso that
Kate – All that I am going to say about this – because I'm not going to waste any time on Mr Amaral – is that as a professional and as a person his behaviour has been a disgrace.
When asked
Q – Your English lawyers already have a translated copy and they are analysing it. Do you intend to sue Gonçalo Amaral?
To accuse a family of being involved in what happened to their daughter, without evidence, is a disgrace. His hypothesis, including fridges, moving bodies in hired cars, and missing pink blankets, is a disgrace.
But this post is not about Goncalo Amaral
It is about the persecution or harassment of the McCanns. So what is it persecution or harassment? I go with harassment.
