Interview with Mark Marek From Best Gore website

Mark Marek is the owner of an online website that posts images from gruesome events like accidents, torture, crime and war zones.  They can be hard to watch for many people.

His website attracted a lot of attention this week after it posted a video of what may be the murder of Jun Lin, the 32 year old student who was killed and dismembered, allegedly, by suspect Luka Rocco Magnotta.  The video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times.

Marek declined our invitation to appear on Day 6.  But he did agree to answer our questions by email.  Click "Read More" below to read the email.
May 31, 2012

Mark Marek - Find my answers under each respective question. Please note that due to time restraints, I won't be able to proof read my grammar. I'm trying to answer in as much detail as possible so please excuse bad grammar if any:

Day 6 - You describe your website as a "reality news website". How is Bestgore.com a news website?

MM- I describe is as "reality news website" not "news website". I report on real life events. What you find on Best Gore is raw reality in its truest form. Honest, uncensored, real. Like life itself.

D6- Have you ever been asked to take down a video by law enforcement officers of any country?

MM - I was told by a German politician that unless I take the video of Neo Nazis beheading two Muslims in Russia, Best Gore would be banned in Germany. I replied to her that I do not promote fascism or Nazism, I merely report on an actual event which involved neo Nazis. I also explained that removal of the video would not mean that this horrific crime did not take place and if her intention truly was to eliminate Nazism, then this video should be seen so people know that it's not a thing of the past, it's not a fantasy but a modern day reality. Sticking a head in the sand is not a solution. Bringing the problem up to the attention of everyone has a potential to prevent disasters.

I have never heard back from her, but Best Gore has never been banned. This was in 2009.

D6- Have police been in touch with you about the "1 Lunatic, 1 Icepick" video, and its possible connections to suspected murderer Luka Magnotta?

MM- I was contacted by about half a million media representatives, but to this minute, not a word from the police. I don't know what they're up to with me, but still no word from any of them.

D6- Have you ever been threatened with any legal action for the content of your website?

MM- I receive hate mail, death threats and legal action threats daily. The website has also been a target of DDoS attacks on many occasions.

D6- As you understand it, is it legal to post videos of criminal acts?

MM- I post videos of actual events that take place around the world to help people understand what really is happening so they don't live in a fantasy, but fall into reality. This approach helped to prevent countless disasters and made our streets and neighborhoods safer. It also made it safer for people who do all they can to hurt me or the site.

Take the 1 Lunatic 1 Ice Pick video which had you contact me - members of Best Gore identified the perpetrator 4 days before the discovery of the torso in Montreal and the foot in Ottawa. Had the police not ignored the reports made at the time, they would have likely caught the perpetrator red-handed, while still in the apartment.

Due to a mishap outside of Best Gore's control, the report was dismissed as not credible and perpetrator not checked up on, allowing him to carry through with his deed of mailing the body parts off and disappearing without a trace, but it changes nothing on the fact that because the video was made public, Best Gore community was able to identify the perpetrator and report it, which if not dismissed by the police, would have likely taken the perp off the street. But as it goes - no good deed goes unpunished.

D6- Do you think you have any legal or moral obligation to alert law enforcement officials when you are given video depicting a criminal act?

MM- I can't comment on my legal or moral obligations, but avid Best Gore reader who's a lawyer in Montana contacted Toronto police after investigation by the Best Gore community nailed the killer as Luka Magnotta. According to the account by the lawyer, the authorities dismissed the report as not credible, believing it wasn't real, but rather a film by a special effects team. As a result, no action was taken.

D6- Do you think the victims of violence depicted on your website have any right to privacy?

MM- Most victims submit their photos/videos themselves. They want others to learn from their mistakes so they can prevent the disaster from happening to them. 

Because Best Gore reports on real life events, it greatly contributes to safer streets and neighborhoods. You can attend dozens of drivers' ed classes and it won't change your driving habits, but I have thousands of proofs from people who admitted that after seeing a few pictures on Best Gore, each time their speedometer goes over limit, they instantly slow down - something they never used to do before.

Sheep need someone to blame, someone to point fingers at. They feel threatened when their rose colored world is exposed for not being this cosy warm place they force themselves to believe it is. Because Best Gore exposes the true human nature for what it really is, their fantasies get thrashed and that makes them want to remove or restrict the website.

Case in point - Best Gore verifiably contributes to safer neighborhoods and makes people more respectful. There are literally thousands of people who can attest to that and confirm that the breaking point was their exposure to content on Best Gore. And my network of contributors knows that hence most are more than willing to be on Best Gore because they know by this simple act they will save lives. They care less about their privacy than they care about doing the right thing.

It should be in everyone's interest that Best Gore continues unhindered. We helped to identify a potentially very dangerous young man who lived close to people who had no idea what he was capable of. Today we saved few families in Montreal, tomorrow it could be your kids. If any more do-gooders try to restrict Best Gore from continuing to keep our streets safe, Karma could soon catch up with them and photos of their kid's pancaked head could be next. Help Best Gore and Best Gore could save your life or life of someone you deeply care about.

D6- If members of a victim's family asked you to remove a video, would you take it down?

MM- I have in the past. When a polite request is made be a verified family member, I will take it down. Best Gore is here for you, not against you. Best Gore is not a manipulative mainstream media. We've already helped thousands and will help many more. Our purpose is to enhance our lives, not make them worse.

D6- Do you think making this material available serves a positive purpose in society?

MM- I'm sorry, I have not read all the questions before hand. I just went answering one after another and managed to answer this one previously. 

D6- Do you have any self-imposed limits regarding what you would post on your website?

MM- I post uncensored reality. Myself and other Best Gore members are people who don't live with rose tinted sunglasses permanently mounted on our faces. On Best Gore, we have a name for human beings which was forged on the site - we call them Fleshy Viruses. Best Gore exposes the true nature of fleshy viruses but I never post any animal suffering.

I did many interviews today and could tell that many reporters were disappointed to learn that they were speaking with biggest pacifist they've ever met in their entire lives. Perhaps it would make for a better mainstream story if I wore black latex clothes and bragged about how many animals I dissected in the past, but truth is neither myself nor any of regular Best Gore members would hurt a fly. We're on Best Gore because we despise violence and cruelty of one who's predisposed to be stronger against one who's predisposed to be weaker. And we the people who don't drive recklessly, don't drive impaired, don't beat other people up and don't draw pleasure from kicking a man on the ground,  we can't stand animal suffering and that's where I draw the line with content on Best Gore.

Mark