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First arrests under the New Police Act preventing freedom of speech

(219 Posts)
Whitewavemark2 Mon 12-Sept-22 05:37:54

At least 2 people have been arrested for carrying signs that protest against a monarchy.

Whatever you think about the crassness of this behaviour, we should all be very, very worried about this curtailment of freedom of speech - a necessary pillar to a healthy democracy.

Juggernaut Wed 14-Sept-22 13:51:59

@Volver,
I made no nasty or ill timed comments to you, I simply asked a question!

If you have lost your mother, you have my sympathy.

However, maybe you could offer the same courtesy to the Queen's family.

I'm going out to get on with my life now, I really cannot be bothered with your childish, pedantic and rude attitude!

Alioop Wed 14-Sept-22 13:50:22

Jedward live in a republic so why are they bothered about the monarchy in the first place, it doesn't really affect them. Another chance of trying to get themselves noticed yet again. Free speech, hunger for fame more like it, but whatever it was what a time to do it when the Queen dies. Real bad timing lads.

volver Wed 14-Sept-22 13:45:31

How dare you ask whether I have lost my mother.

Other people on this site know my situation so I will allow them to judge your nasty and ill-timed comments.

I would hope you'd be ashamed of yourself, but I doubt it.

Juggernaut Wed 14-Sept-22 13:40:02

@Volver,
You have a very strange idea of what constitutes a rant!
Why do you object to my calling 'Jedward' idiots? They're thick, we all know that!
I'm confused as to why they think they should be showing banners reading 'Not My King'. Of course he's not their King, nor ever will he be, they're from Eire, they don't have a King!
I would be interested to know whether you have yet lost your Mother? Would you have liked the abuse being shown by some people to have been directed at you and your family whilst you were mourning her loss?
No, I didn't think so!

GrannyGravy13 Wed 14-Sept-22 13:39:25

With free speech comes responsibility, it does not give one the right to insult or offend others.

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

Coco51 Wed 14-Sept-22 13:37:14

I think a man was arrested for heckling Prince Andrew. Freedom of Speech is vital, but there is a time and a place, but this was neither.

volver Wed 14-Sept-22 13:35:41

Rosina

volver I'm not sure why you appear on so many threads being aggressive. You also demonstrate pedantic behaviour to a degree that is beginning to make you look silly.

I don't care ?

Now please stop trying to make me feel unwanted.

(BTW, I was very nice on the Gyles Brandreth thread)

Theoddbird Wed 14-Sept-22 13:33:43

The place they chose to protest was so wrong. The Queen's cottage was definitely the wrong place.

Rosina Wed 14-Sept-22 13:30:25

volver I'm not sure why you appear on so many threads being aggressive. You also demonstrate pedantic behaviour to a degree that is beginning to make you look silly.

Nan0 Wed 14-Sept-22 13:25:29

There's time and place, and insulting people mourning their queen/ mother at the funeral procession etc is not the time.

Fleurpepper Wed 14-Sept-22 13:16:01

Agree too, even if I disagree.

Amalegra Wed 14-Sept-22 13:15:56

Horrified by this blatant misuse of power by an increasingly ineffective and distrusted police force. We can see this happening right now in Russia! Do we want this for our historically freedom loving country? Our rights and civil liberties are being eroded and have been for some time. Seeing us scared to death and locked down so unprotestingly for Covid, with measures taken which many (including myself) found far too heavy handed has emboldened the government in thinking we can be herded like sheep. We, the people, should stop being so compliant, make more of a noise and demonstrate exactly from which source they get their power

Skye17 Wed 14-Sept-22 13:14:21

Whitewavemark2

At least 2 people have been arrested for carrying signs that protest against a monarchy.

Whatever you think about the crassness of this behaviour, we should all be very, very worried about this curtailment of freedom of speech - a necessary pillar to a healthy democracy.

I agree. Freedom of speech is a crucial freedom.

volver Wed 14-Sept-22 13:14:08

It wasn't a funeral procession. He's been arrested and charged while the two men who physically attacked him haven't.

As far as I know none of my close relatives have got themselves involved with trafficked young women and then paid them off, expecting to carry on as if nothing had happened, so I can't answer your last question.

Whitewavemark2 Wed 14-Sept-22 13:11:57

You simply can’t have it both ways.

Rosina Wed 14-Sept-22 13:10:03

The man who shouted at Prince Andrew during the walk in Edinburgh was dragged back violently by the collar, and then dragged out of sight again by people in the crowd. He ended up on the floor, and was quickly taken away by police - they said it was for his safety. Surely, it's a matter of time and place, and it is not necessary to scream insults, and your views, at a funeral procession. Would anyone here like that to happen to their family?

volver Wed 14-Sept-22 13:05:43

You just know that when a post starts with "I'm all for free speech but..." that its not going to go they way you'd like it to.

Shouting half a dozen words is not a rant. Standing in a public street with a blank piece of paper is not a rant.

Calling some Irish lads "idiots who should shut up" because you don't agree with what they say? I think that counts as a rant.

Juggernaut Wed 14-Sept-22 13:02:33

I'm all for free speech, but perhaps it would be better if people showed a bit of respect, and delayed their rants until after the funeral.
Whether you're a royalist or not, a small show of respect for a woman who has served ALL of us for over seventy years would be appropriate.
As for the 'Jedward' idiots, they need to shut up!

spabbygirl Wed 14-Sept-22 12:59:15

A lot of things worry me about this gov't and this is one of them. I wouldn't protest where so many people are mourning, but I don't think it justifies arresting someone

spabbygirl Wed 14-Sept-22 12:57:47

you can't section someone for their own safety if they choose to put their life at risk but if you are mentally ill and that is affecting your view of the world then you can be detained under the mental health act, police can take someone to somewhere designated as a safe space (ideally not a police station, some health authorities have places) where the person can be seen by specialist drs and a social worker. The social worker is there to protect people's civil rights, maybe by suggesting the person goes home with home care or similar, if appropriate

TiggyW Wed 14-Sept-22 12:55:50

I believe in free speech, and I’ve no time for Prince Andrew, but I don’t think that it’s appropriate to protest during a time of mourning. His mother has just died! ? I don’t think any of us would like our family funerals to be interrupted.
Protests could wait until after next Monday. Andrew probably won’t be seen in public again after that. I can’t imagine what his daughters think of him.

volver Wed 14-Sept-22 12:41:40

Tanjamaltija

Re the man in Oxford: uk.style.yahoo.com/news/man-arrested-heckling-prince-andrew-162742005.html

I know I'm a bit easy to offend when it comes to Scotland but when did Edinburgh move to Oxfordshire?

Newquay Wed 14-Sept-22 12:35:36

When my dear Dad died his cortège passed the girls grammar school I had attended. He was SO proud cos he had to leave school at 14.
As we passed the school, by then a mixed comprehensive, some boys jeered and da-de-dahed the funeral March. Very upsetting. I wrote to the school and the boys all wrote back expressing sorrow.
I understand the upset I do but we must uphold our right to free speech.
I feel the TV and newspapers especially the DM are filtering items eg Charles’ petulant performance over an ink stand/pen.

MayBee70 Wed 14-Sept-22 12:27:51

When you protest about something you have to take into account the people that don’t agree with you and might be upset by the way that you protest. Best not to alienate people who, if you choose your moment right, might come round to your way of thinking. I’m surprised, I must admit though, that various political friends I have on Facebook just assume that I’m happy to read disparaging comments about the Queen just because I agree with them in other ways. I actually had to pluck up my courage to tell them that I had shed tears over the past week. I did decide a while back to try to be more tolerant of other peoples views and make an effort to understand why they feel the way that they do.

Alioop Wed 14-Sept-22 12:25:34

I wouldn't be happy at all if it happened at one of my a family members funerals. There's a time and place to express your views and I think its very disrespectful.