A transgender activist has been publicly named by one of Britain's most senior judges in connection with the militant trans rights group Bash Back, following a cyber attack on a prominent free speech organisation.
Court Lifts Anonymity for Activist Linked to Hack
Autumn Redpath, 22, was identified by Mr Justice Bright as a 'respondent' to an injunction imposed on Bash Back. The legal order was secured by the Free Speech Union (FSU) after the group hacked its website and published lists of its donors online. The court documents formally link Redpath to the case.
Bash Back, which campaigns for 'trans liberation', has previously urged its followers to form secret 'cells' and plot criminal damage against high-profile targets it deems transphobic. An investigation by The Mail on Sunday last month exposed its plans for attacks on the offices of senior politicians, including the Prime Minister and the Health Secretary.
The Digital Footprint of an 'Ethical Hacker'
The group had taken extensive measures to conceal its organisers, using ultra-secure communication methods and stripping metadata from documents. However, cybersecurity experts working for the FSU traced a digital trail.
This investigation is said to have connected Redpath, who describes themselves as an 'ethical hacker', to the creation of Bash Back's Wikipedia page. Redpath, who was born male and identifies as a woman, has an online presence describing them as an "autistic, trans, anarcho-socialist, hackergirl".
Redpath graduated last summer from the University of Warwick with a BSc in Cyber Security. Their graduation ceremony attracted attention when they unfurled a trans flag bearing the words 'free Palestine'. They are now studying for a master's degree in digital media and culture at the same university.
Legal Proceedings and Rejected Plea for Anonymity
The FSU obtained an urgent High Court injunction from Mr Justice Bright within hours of the donor data being leaked online. The order prohibited the hackers from sharing the information further.
Appearing via videolink last Friday, Redpath asked the judge for an anonymity order, insisting they were not a part of Bash Back. They argued the group attracted significant hostility and they feared harm.
In their rejected submission, Redpath stated: "I'm not here to defend Bash Back but having followed them in the past I thought they might claim publishing this information was justified. As an activist group they believe their actions are just, even if they include breaking the law."
The activist's background reveals a middle England upbringing in a £635,000 stone house in a commuter village. Social media depicts a supportive family, with one member expressing pride in standing "alongside the amazing Autumn R every day". Prior to university, Redpath worked in a coffee shop in Leeds.
