Daniel Friedman, the news editor of The Citizen ‘s online platform, was suspended on Friday pending an investigation into recent statements in his capacity as his comedy persona Deep Fried Man.
Friedman, in an entry on Deep Fried Man’s Twitter account, referred to white people, specifically those who support the FF Plus, as racists. This account has since been disabled.
Charles Cilliers, the digital editor of The Citizen, said in a statement that the publication’s management noted with concern the subscription made on various social media and other online platforms.
According to Cilliers, The Citizen has a strict social media policy and allegations regarding Friedman will be treated as such.
The Citizen has a strict social media policy. The allegations concerning Friedman will be handled according to this policy. If disciplinary proceedings are required, these will be launched and conducted fairly and reasonably.
The Citizen respects the sanctity of freedom of expression. In very few cases would we ever support the suppression of any opinion, even if some may deem it offensive. We voluntarily submit to the South African Press Code, where expressions of opinion are given considerable leeway. However, the Constitution of South Africa and the Press Code place certain limitations on exercising this right, which will be considered when dealing with this matter.
Friedman previously got away without suspension after making fun of “white genocide”.
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