Freedom of speech row after police start arresting anti-monarchy protesters
Arrested for expressing an opinion: how can the UK still be said to be a nation that supports free speech if the police do this?
Heavy-handed policing has triggered a debate on freedom of expression after police forces around the UK started arresting people who were expressing their free-speech right to call for the end of the monarchy after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
I wrote about this previously, but more developments have taken place. Watch this:
Now watch this:
I think Phil is mistaken; the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act is what allows the rozzers to cart peaceful protesters away – or at least, that is what I understand they are using.
The Act allows them to remove protesters who cause a disturbance or who are “annoying” others.
But is it really annoying people when someone holds up a sign saying they don’t want a monarchy here any more?
The person who shouted, “Who elected you?” at an event calls the legislation into question because it was possible for proceedings to carry on regardless and no hate speech was involved.
The police reaction does not reflect the general feeling of society – and the surprising aspect of this is that it is a feeling that is held by both left- and right-wingers.
Phil reckons the police may be acting under ancient laws that haven’t fallen off the statute books – but these would be trumped by more recent legislation; the Public Order Act doesn’t cover what’s been done here as there has been no threatening behaviour.
And there are very clear and obvious questions to be answered:
How do people express views like opposition to the monarchy – and get a debate on it – if any such expression is prohibited by our law guardians? And how can the UK government still claim that this is a nation that honours free speech if this is happening?
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