An Aboriginal activist told Ben Fordham he had made himself ‘a target’ in a tense broadcast after the 2GB radio presenter branded him a ‘pest and an idiot’.
Paul Silva, a Black Lives Matter campaigner, 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, on the N.S.W Mid-North Coast for allegedly using his mobile phone while driving.
Fordham earned a sound recording of the subsequent interaction, in which Silva was repeatedly obstructive 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 branded him a “pest and an idiot,” Silva called 2GB on Monday to accuse Fordham of “poor journalism” for not uncovering the “backstory.”
Paul Silva (pictured), a Black Lives Matter campaigner and proud Dunghuttii man, made headlines last week after telling a police officer that the law did not apply to him because he is Aboriginal
Mr Silva told Ben Fordham (pictured) that he had made himself ‘a target’ in an air exchange threat after the 2GB radio presenter branded him a ‘pest and an idiot’.
The pair went back and forth before Fordham asked Silva if there was anything new.
“I’ll see you around,” Mr. Silva warned Fordham.
“You’ve set yourself a target now, right? If you sit there and call me a pest and an idiot, I’ll show you what a pest and an idiot do, right?
“I’m going to hang around with 2GB all day today, waiting for you to come out. You can go to the underground parking garage and find out.’
Unfazed, Fordham warned Silva that police will listen.
“They’ll say, ‘Wait a minute, this sounds like a guy making threats,'” he added.
Silva then said 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 anyone feels based on the words I say, buddy.”
Fordham told Silva to “chill out” before ending the call.
Last week, Fordham shared audio of the moment Silva was stopped by officers
The abrupt ending ended a conversation that had been heated from the start.
Silva wanted to know why Fordham had told the story in the first place.
He repeated his claim that current laws do not apply to him because they are being “forced on Aboriginal people” on “stolen land”.
Fordham questioned why Silva would take the case to court if that was the case.
Last week, Fordham shared audio of the moment Silva was stopped by officers.
“So you’re from the North Coast Police Station, right?” Silva said to the police officer.
The officer was heard twice asking Silva for his driver’s license.
Silva replied, “Don’t raise your voice, sir. Activate your bodycam, please.”
When the officer told him his body camera was already on, Silva said again, “Well, don’t raise your voice at me.”
The officer told him that all Silva had to do was “follow directions,” but he again refused to comply.
“No, no, no, no, no, I’m not following your directions. Your law does not apply to me as an Aboriginal man,” he said.
Despite his claim that the law does not apply to him, NSW Police confirmed that a 26-year-old male driver had been issued two traffic violation tickets (stock image)
“I stopped you for a reason,” the officer responded, growing frustrated with Silva’s behavior.
He then asked the activist not to shout at him.
“If you (don’t) want to be yelled at, stop yelling at me, I’ll yell back at you,” Silva replied.
The officer then said, “Mate, you’re about to get arrested.”
Despite his claim that the law does not apply to him, NSW Police confirmed that a The 26 year old male driver was issued two fines for traffic violations.
The driver used the cell phone where prohibited and unnecessarily used a horn or similar device, the man’s complaint said.
He allegedly honked excessively while driving away.
Silva previously made headlines for holding Black Lives Matter demonstrations during the pandemic.