Objectors to multimillion pound plans for the new Dons stadium have insisted they were forced to create a fake figurehead for their campaign group because of online abuse from supporters of the scheme.
It has emerged that the No Kingsford Stadium (NKS) group regularly used the pseudonym “Angus Jamieson” to provide quotes to this newspaper and our sister paper the Evening Express.
The name was further used to submit 35 freedom of information requests on the £50million stadium and training facilities project and comment on social media posts.
NKS is now a limited company with three directors – Heather Brock, Clare Davidson and Diane Reid.
Founded by local residents of Westhill and Kingswells, they oppose the application based on concerns over the loss of green belt land, potential parking problems and an increase in traffic.
Following approval by the city council, the group now wants to challenge the decision in the courts and have now raised £50,000 for the legal battle.
The stadium application has proved divisive in the local community, with a rival “Westhill for Kingsford” group also founded.
Both objectors and supporters of the scheme have often engaged in heated debates online.
One of the NKS directors yesterday explained the reasons for the “pseudonym” in an lengthy statement online after the information on Angus Jamieson emerged yesterday.
Like the iconic scene from the 1960 Stanley Kubrick classic Spartacus, the piece was titled “We are all Angus”.
The statement from Diane Reid said: “The reason for the pseudonym is that people involved in the campaign have been subjected to abuse from some people in favour of the stadium.
“The police have been involved on several occasions and individuals have been cautioned and interviewed for their online threats against members of NKS.
“The police have also, at different times, tagged the homes of NKS members, for heightened responses given the threats made against them.
“To date, NKS has sought to avoid talking publicly about the abuse as we felt that it would have detracted from the campaign, however we now feel that we are forced to do so…”
Ms Reid stressed that the group had not broken any laws by using a pseudonym.
She added: “NKS has never intended to mislead the public. We sought only to protect individuals from threats and attacks.
“Nevertheless, if anyone has felt misled because of our use of a pseudonym, we offer our sincere apologies.”
