A Statement on the Incident that took place on The Land of Kings and Emperors Forum and Discord Server on August 17th
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Published: 25th of August 2019
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The Imperial Government wishes to formally notify our allies of a serious incident affecting the Imperial Forums and the LKE Regional Discord server on the morning of August 17th. As you may already be aware, from a dispatch released primarily to inform our on-site nations following the incident, three junior members of the government abused their moderator powers on the Imperial Forums to alter and destroy content. In place of the previously existing content, in a number of cases they inserted highly inappropriate and offensive content, including explicit/graphic stories and homophobic language. Simultaneously, the members spammed insulting and inappropriate content on the LKE Discord server.The three perpetrators were Edgar Jorgmund Kjærsgaard III (also known as Droiden), Sarkos Tunchix IV (also known as South Reinkalistan) and Adrian Willzhelm (also known as Greater Bastion). As regards the acts peformed on the forum, Edgar Jorgmund Kjærsgaard III and Sarkos Tunchix IV were the primary instigators, with Sarkos using Edgar Jorgmund Kjærsgaard III's account for part of the incident. Adrian Willzhelm was also responsible for deleting and editing a smaller amount of content. In subsequently seeking to justify their actions, these members and their sympathisers complained about what they perceive as restrictive moderation policies on the LKE Discord. This followed occasions where the members concerned and one of their associates had been warned for offensive comments, advertising for non-LKE servers and the excessive use of profanities on our server. In addition to the administrative team, multiple ordinary members of the LKE had been offended and disturbed by their behaviour, with some even leaving to avoid them. The administrative team is under an obligation to ensure that the LKE is a safe and welcoming community. In taking action to sanction such conduct, the LKE's moderation approach was at all times reasonable and proportionate. In any case, even if our moderation policies were too severe, vandalising the LKE's forums could still only be considered unacceptable.
Immediately following the incident, the members concerned shamelessly bragged about their behaviour on our regional message board, including in a number of offensive posts suppressed by the NationStates moderators. They then created a temporary region called the "Placeholder Land of Placeholders", in which they were joined by a number of their close associates and friends including Novae Romae and Asurmenia. Before departing, the latter made a number of comments seeking to rationalise their appalling behaviour with reference to our supposedly restrictive Discord moderation policies. Very shortly after this group established a new region entitled New Roman Imperium. The small number of LKE members who subsequently joined New Roman Imperium all chose to align with Edgar Jorgmund Kjærsgaard III, Sarkos Tunchix IV and Adrian Willzhelm in full knowledge of their actions.
In a gameplay thread created by New Roman Imperium soon after, its members subsequently sought to donwplay their region's connection to the above events. Without referring to his own major role in the incident, Sarkos Tunchix IV/South Reinkalistan described what happened as "a travesty that all of the nations who partook in the act regret" (not using the first person). Asurmenia stated that the wider world "shouldn't judge an entire region over the acts of the few". Evidently New Roman Imperium wishes to simultaneously shelter and protect the individuals responsible, elevating them to the highest offices, while disclaiming any responsibility or connection with their actions. This lacks all credibility.
Within the 15-nation region of New Roman Imperium, Edgar Jorgmund Kjærsgaard III/Droiden is the World Assembly Delegate, Adrian Willzhelm/Greater Bastion is Minister of Regional Affairs and Sarkos Tunchix IV/South Reinkalistan is Minister of Internal Security. As well as holding high office, all three individuals are integral members of the core group which co-founded the region directly after they destroyed content and vandalised the LKE forums. In the immmediate aftermath, all its members were fully aware of what had transpired. Yet they all chose to set up a new region with these three individuals as core members. Far from being a distinct entity, New Roman Imperium is in effect a continuation of the political party and role-play group comprising the members of the LKE who defected to New Roman Imperium. The party was led by Adrian Willzhelm/Greater Bastion.
On any objective standard, New Roman Imperium has the purpose and effect of supporting the three individuals who left and were banned from the LKE after they destroyed our content and posted inappropriate content on our platforms. The region provides shelter for those individuals without any period of banishment or exclusion, elevating them directly to the highest offices. New Roman Imperium holds a high degree of corporate responsibility for the events of August 17th. The LKE accordingly will not allow any person in New Roman Imperium to reside within the LKE. We also formally request that other regions decline to open relations with New Roman Imperium if they are approached by them.
We note with great disappointment that a number of regions have already initiated construction of in-game embassies with New Roman Imperium, despite the wide audience gained by the dispatch released by our chief administrator and public discussion of the circumstances in the Gameplay forum. The regions forming in-game embassies with New Roman Imperium include The Empire of Mare Nostrum, another splinter region from the LKE. The destruction of forum content represents a threat to the off-site infrastructure of all NationStates regions and communities. The LKE believes that the systematic destruction of content and posting of inappropriate content should not be overlooked and dismissed, regardless of any gameplay disagreements which might exist, especially so soon after the incident has occurred.