The free speech issue has gotten dire in the United Kingdom. In this latest example, a man named James Goddard is contacted by police (via postal mail) after they were alerted to one of his tweets regarding pride flags hung along Wembley Way. “These comments are targeting specifically the LGBTQ community and would be considered “grossly offensive” thus being in contravention to Section 127 of the Malicious Communication Act of 2003.”
The police commission asks Goddard to set up a voluntary interview “so this matter can be further investigated.” Goddard is given 10 days to reply or else “an evidential case file may be submitted for consideration of prosecution.”
We can’t see the tweet since Goddard’s been suspended. It must have been really bad to have been “grossly offensive” and therefore illegal.
Someone in the UK has been threatened with arrest for criticising the Pride flag. Where does this end? Can I be jailed for criticising the Coca-Cola logo? Are "protected groups" above the law because any criticism would itself be illegal?
The law is an ass, in sparkly hotpants. pic.twitter.com/YK8QubJudU— Leo Kearse – comedian – come to my shows! (@LeoKearse) January 7, 2023
I showed this to my lawyer and she says:
1. it contravenes human rights enshrined in UK and European law
2. it would be infinitely arguable in court
3. don't attend a request to interview because if they had evidence to arrest, they'd do it. A voluntary interview is intimidatory— Leo Kearse – comedian – come to my shows! (@LeoKearse) January 7, 2023
Heaven forbid that the police tackle knife crime or burglary instead of tweets criticising flags
— Leo Kearse – comedian – come to my shows! (@LeoKearse) January 7, 2023
Ignore all such requests that are just intimidation, if you committed a crime they will arrest you.
— Space Simian (@DeepSpaceSimian) January 7, 2023
That's what it's like to live in a country that doesn't truly have freedom of speech. I can't imagine living somewhere like that
— MaddieRomeo (@k9klaus18) January 7, 2023
More British police spending time on “offensive” tweets. Madness.
— Jamie (Alpha Male) (@JamieJacksonati) January 7, 2023
Is this basically an invitation to accept a caution? The same type of caution they neglect to tell you that will have far reaching repercussions for years to come?
— ElvenRune (@ElvenRune) January 7, 2023
If you don’t submit to a voluntary interview we will arrest you. What’s voluntary about that?
— Lexie_Kat_2022 (@22_Lex_kate) January 7, 2023
That's blackmail. You'd expect higher standards to be honest.
— VvD (@LiverpoolRage) January 7, 2023
They know that these political prosecutions always come to nothing. But that's not the point. The point is that the process is the punishment. The point is that nobody criticises these neoliberal global corporate ideologies. The point is that no police officer loses their job.
— Hugh Oxford (@HughOxford) January 7, 2023
Wear a frock & blouse to the interview. They'll make you a nice cup of tea and drive you home in the rainbow panda car.
— William Aleksander (@WilliamAleksan5) January 7, 2023
I'd like to know what was said so I could repeat it.
— Ehrgeiz (@EhrgeizTV) January 7, 2023
Worrying they have the time to do this.
— fatchaz (@fatchaz61) January 7, 2023
PC Gordon clearly needs to get on with proper police work. Like catching burglars or preventing stabbings.
— Yorkshire Patriot 🏴🇬🇧 (@yorksbarlick) January 7, 2023
How does one as a police officer follow through on these things with any dignity?
Having spent 30 years as a police officer this sort of thing is just embarrassing.
Public order crime team 🤦♂️— chris phillips 🇬🇧 (@cphillips_ippso) January 7, 2023
All I could find was this from a twitter news page. He seems very far right but this tweet is very tame all things considered? pic.twitter.com/KyJAJ19VKT
— Baray Bigshoulders (@BarBigShoulders) January 7, 2023
Is that it? “Wembley got the Rainbow treatment” and an emoji?
I find it grossly offensive that the LBGT opinion is considered more important than my own. It’s not
— I Know Nooothing 🇬🇧🤝🇺🇦Slava Ukraini (@IknowNooothing) January 7, 2023
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Related:
UK police arrest woman after she admits to praying silently outside an abortion clinic https://t.co/azof3mJQYm
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) December 22, 2022
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