Parler’s Matze, Family Forced Into Hiding Due to Death Threats, Security Breaches: Filing

Parler founder and CEO John Matze speaks to The Epoch Times' Jan Jekielek on "American Thought Leaders" in 2019. Screenshot/The Epoch Times

Parler CEO John Matze has gone into hiding with his family after receiving death threats, according to a new court filing.

Matze “has had to leave his home and go into hiding with his family after receiving death threats and invasive personal security breaches,” the filing in Parler v. Amazon states.

Parler sued Amazon Web Services (AWS) after the company refused to continue working with the social media company. While Parler went offline on Jan. 11 as a result, it showed some sort of life on Jan. 17 with a message from its CEO, but nothing else.

Amazon asked the court a day later to redact names, job titles, and descriptions from court documents.

“Redaction of the employee identifying information is necessary to protect their safety and security and to prevent potential harassment,” Amazon said. “These employees’ safety concerns are well-founded in light of significant and repeated threats of physical violence against AWS, its facilities, and its employees in the wake of AWS’s decision to suspend its cloud hosting agreement with Parler.”

The motion included screenshots of posts that appeared to be from Parler in which users threatened to carry out violence against Amazon workers, executives, and facilities.

District Judge Barbara Rothstein, a Carter nominee, granted the motion. She said AWS and its employees “have demonstrated a well-founded concern for the safety and security of their employees based on threatening and violent content.”

This illustration picture shows Parler displayed on a smartphone in Arlington, Va., on July 2, 2020. Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

In Parler’s new filing, lawyers said the company’s employees have been harassed and threatened. “Many Parler employees are suffering harassment and hostility, fear for their safety and that of their families, and in some cases have fled their home state to escape persecution,” Parler said, before noting that Matze himself has gone into hiding.

“Recognizing the highly charged nature of this public and polarizing dispute, Parler wishes to protect the privacy of those employees, whether of Parler or Amazon, whose names or personal information appear in documents on which Parler relies,” the filing stated.

Matze told Fox News this week that he’s been targeted by a hacker group called UGNazi.

“They published my street address, they threatened to come through my front door,” he said.

The group didn’t respond to an inquiry by The Epoch Times.

Matze said he and his family went into hiding and weren’t sure when they'd return home.

“It’s probably leveled me out,” Matze said. “If I was at home right now I think my stress levels would have been like three times higher… at least there is that saving grace.”

 On Parler.com, under a “technical difficulties” banner, there’s a message from Matze that reads:

“Now seems like the right time to remind you all — both lovers and haters — why we started this platform. We believe privacy is paramount and free speech essential, especially on social media. Our aim has always been to provide a nonpartisan public square where individuals can enjoy and exercise their rights to both.

“We will resolve any challenge before us and plan to welcome all of you back soon. We will not let civil discourse perish!”