UK far right trouble July/August 24

[BrianW]

I agree, it is tricky. A lot of it is subjective. Who decides what is and isn’t offensive though. If you have a bit of common sense it’s pretty obvious to spot clear racism or someone inciting violence, but in some of these cases thats not clear at all.

15 months in prison for sharing a Facebook post! Is crazy. There are violent offenders who don’t get that much time.

it feels a bit like the book 1984.

She said something to the effect that a mosque should be burned down with the worshippers inside it.

In the present climate, you can see how that might be thought to be incitement. Even incitement to murder.

We all say and write stupid things sometimes. I recall suggesting that dog thieves and people who organise dog fights should be strung up. However, there was not, at that time, a gang of vigilantes offering violence to dog thieves and arrangers of dog fights. Context is all, and besides I said that the government should do the stringing up by law, not that a mob should do it.

I suppose we all need to remember not to be inflammatory. Because, unfortunately, we do not live in a quiet, rational, law-abiding age.

 

[The Future’s Blue!]

I agree, it is tricky. A lot of it is subjective. Who decides what is and isn’t offensive though. If you have a bit of common sense it’s pretty obvious to spot clear racism or someone inciting violence, but in some of these cases thats not clear at all.

15 months in prison for sharing a Facebook post! Is crazy. There are violent offenders who don’t get that much time.

it feels a bit like the book 1984.

Are you worried, not posted anything offensive, one hopes?

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

It's not crazy at all. She suggested all mosques should be burned down with Muslims inside; she's a hateful cow, 15 months is warranted. Fed up of people posting despicable comments online and thinking they can get away with it. If she'd have shouted the same thing on the street with a megaphone she'd have been arrested on the spot. But then people like this are cowards, aren't they?

I just wish they applied these tough sentences to all criminals. I still struggle to understand how someone with 50,000 images of children, many of which were in the Cat A bracket got off with a suspended sentence. For me punishments should be hard whatever the crime.

 

[Blue and true]

I just wish they applied these tough sentences to all criminals. I still struggle to understand how someone with 50,000 images of children, many of which were in the Cat A bracket got off with a suspended sentence. For me punishments should be hard whatever the crime.

So do I. But it's clear they're handing out tough sentences to these because they participated in the riots. It's about optics, and setting an example and deterrent. Also, how many involved in the unrest will ultimately be charged? Probably <1%, so it still won't be enough but is all can be expected given stretched resources and the cases being expedited.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

So do I. But it's clear they're handing out tough sentences to these because they participated in the riots. It's about optics, and setting an example and deterrent. Also, how many involved in the unrest will ultimately be charged? Probably <1%, so it still won't be enough but is all can be expected given stretched resources and the cases being expedited.

Yeah I agree with that. The sentences seem to have sent out a message.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

Are you worried, not posted anything offensive, one hopes?

Yea I posted a meme about barmcakes being the correct choice.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

It's not crazy at all. She suggested all mosques should be burned down with Muslims inside; she's a hateful cow, 15 months is warranted. Fed up of people posting despicable comments online and thinking they can get away with it. If she'd have shouted the same thing on the street with a megaphone she'd have been arrested on the spot. But then people like this are cowards, aren't they?

Obviously it’s not right what she posted and she has to be punished. As I said previously there are other examples where it’s not as obvious.. who decides what’s offensive?

A lot of people post things without even realising there offensive. A lot criminals don’t get 15 months for committing violent crime, let alone sharing a Facebook post. It needs to be consistent.

 

[The Future’s Blue!]

Yea I posted a meme about barmcakes being the correct choice.

Bastard!

;-)

 

[bluethrunthru]

Meet Dave - now he has banished all the migrants he will be performing the surgery on your brains today because after leaving school aged 13 nobody gave him a chance until now - so breather deeply let the anaesthetic take hold you'll be fine

 

[Blue and true]

Obviously it’s not right what she posted and she has to be punished. As I said previously there are other examples where it’s not as obvious.. who decides what’s offensive?

A lot of people post things without even realising there offensive. A lot criminals don’t get 15 months for committing violent crime, let alone sharing a Facebook post. It needs to be consistent.

The only way we'll see consistency is if precedents are set. For too long social media has been a hiding place and hopefully the last few weeks leads to change. Those commitming violent crime should be commensurately punished, I agree. But as I said in my previous post, the rioting charges are currently being expedited to set an example.

It's ultimately down to the courts and the law of the land to decide what's offensive and whether thresholds have been crossed; but in this instance somebody calling for mosques to be burned down has obviously crossed a threshold; you don't need to be a legal scholar to arrive at that conclusion.