An Aboriginal activist told Ben Fordham he had “targeted” himself in a tense on-air exchange after the 2GB radio host labeled him “a pest and a moron”.
Paul Silva, a Black Lives Matter activist, made headlines last week after telling a police officer that the law did not apply to him because he is Aboriginal.
Silva was arrested on March 30 in South Kempsey, in the New south Wales north coast center, for allegedly using his mobile phone while driving.
Fordham earned a audio recording of the subsequent interaction, in which Silva repeatedly obstructed and told the officer that “the law does not apply to me as an Aboriginal man.”
Despite this, he was later charged with two driving offences.
After the radio host called him a “pest and an idiot,” Silva called 2GB on Monday to accuse Fordham of “poor journalism” for not uncovering the “backstory.”
Black Lives Matter activist and proud Dunghuttii man Paul Silva (pictured) made headlines last week after telling a police officer the law did not apply to him because he is Aboriginal.
Silva told Ben Fordham (pictured) that he had “targeted” himself in an aerial exchange of threats after the 2GB radio host labeled him “a pest and a moron”.
The pair went back and forth before Fordham asked Silva if there was anything new.
“See you around,” Mr. Silva warned Fordham.
‘Now you’ve set a goal, right? For you to sit there and call me a pest and an idiot, I’ll show you what a pest and an idiot does, right?
‘Today I’ll be walking around with 2 GB all day waiting for you to come out. You can go down to the underground parking lot and find out.
Undaunted, Fordham warned Silva that the police would be listening.
“They’ll say, ‘Wait a minute, this sounds like a man is threatening,'” he added.
Silva later said that it was not up to him how people interpreted his words.
“If you feel harassed or threatened in any way, I’m sorry you feel that way,” he said.
“I can’t control the way someone feels based on the words I say, buddy.”
Fordham told Silva he needed to “relax” before ending the call.
Last week, Fordham shared audio of the moment officers detained Silva.
The abrupt end put an end to a conversation that had been heated from the beginning.
Silva wanted to know why Fordham had covered the story in the first place.
He reiterated his claim that the current laws did not apply to him because they were being “imposed on Aboriginal people” on “stolen lands”.
Fordham questioned why Silva was taking the matter to court if that were the case.
Last week, Fordham shared audio of the moment officers detained Silva.
“So you’re from the North Coast Police Station, right?” Silva told the police officer.
The officer was heard asking Silva twice for his driver’s license.
Silva replied: ‘Don’t raise your voice, sir. Activate your body camera, please.
When the officer told him his body camera was already on, Silva again said, “Well, don’t raise your voice at me.”
The officer told him that all Silva had to do was “simply follow instructions,” but he again refused to comply.
‘No, no, no, no, no, I’m not following your instructions. His law does not apply to me as an Aboriginal person,” she said.
Despite his claim that the law does not apply to him, NSW Police confirmed that a 26-year-old driver received two traffic infringement notices (file image)
“I stopped you for a reason,” the officer responded, frustrated by Silva’s behavior.
He then asked the activist not to yell at him.
“If you (don’t) want to be yelled at, stop yelling at me, I’ll yell at you,” Silva responded.
The officer then said, ‘Mate, you’re so close to being arrested.’
Despite his claim that the law does not apply to him, New South Wales Police confirmed that a The 26-year-old male driver was He received two traffic violation reports.
The driver used the mobile phone when it was not permitted and used the horn or a similar device unnecessarily were the charges brought against the man.
He allegedly honked the vehicle’s horn excessively as he drove away.
Silva previously made headlines for holding Black Lives Matter protests during the pandemic.