Lucy Connolly appeal Rejected

I don't think people who hold abhorrent views come from unattractive parts of the country or have fairly hopeless lives.

Oreo

Casdon

Oreo

However no asylum seekers were injured in the riots last year so it cannot be proved that the tweets were or were not actually harming anyone.
I know it could have happened, but fortunately it didn’t.
I doubt very much that anyone in government actually understands why people in some areas/ communities feel so angry and let down and have had enough of high levels of immigration.

It’s not the case that nobody was harmed though, as 53 police officers were injured, some seriously, during the riots trying to uphold law and order and protect those who were being targeted.

I did say no asylum seekers were injured and it could never be proved that the tweets incited the violence.It seemed more a spontaneous eruption of anger in various places given the wrong information about the perpetrator on lots of SM boards.

Each riot was planned and orchestrated by social media and phone contacts!

Of course the riots were tweet related - some by incitement, some by turning up!

Just a taste from an informative article

"The role of social media in the riots

Telegram and TikTok and other mainstream social media platforms were used to spread inflammatory misinformation, mobilise far-right groups, and organise violent protests across the UK.

Research by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD)

revealed a staggering 327% increase in posting activity on far-right Telegram channels in the 10 days following the incident.

This surge in activity highlights the challenges law enforcement face in monitoring and controlling the spread of misinformation and hate speech.

policinginsight.com/feature/advertisement/uk-riots-social-medias-role-in-misinformation-and-violence/

Many of the crowds joining in the riots, even if just stood watching were passing by I read at the time, or came out of their houses on hearing a nearby hubub.So quite a few of them did join in spontaneously.The first instance of surrounding a hotel would have been spread by SM.
Two women who were jailed I think for jumping on a car, were out taking their dog for a walk, a mother and daughter.

lafergar

I don't think people who hold abhorrent views come from unattractive parts of the country or have fairly hopeless lives.

Not always of course, you can be a solicitor living in Chipping Norton or a professor living in Cambridge who hold abhorrent views but the people jailed for the riots were in the main none of those things.I remember clearly reading their names, and their jobs/ joblessness and addresses which were printed at the time.Depressing reading.

Yes people just joined in but there were a whole number of people jailed for organising via social media.

Oh, the middle class ones were careful to keep away from the hands on rioting preferring to incite or promote violence from the safety of living rooms. Look at people like Tommy Robinson who has stirred up so much but keeps their nose clean from prosecution (or pops off to Spain. Or politicians like Farage who incited hatred in his own way but far too careful to be able to be accused of inciting.

Still, I celebrate and remember so well the reports of people in communities getting together to clear up like in Southport working together across different communities that week, and peaceful protests against the racism.

And this is where posters like Connelly come in. Just hurty words? - but out there on X.
Viewed and reposted many times to people of all backgrounds. picked up by thousands across the country.

Maybe she really didn't envision the consequences - but there were consequences.

Wyllow3

And this is where posters like Connelly come in. Just hurty words? - but out there on X.
Viewed and reposted many times to people of all backgrounds. picked up by thousands across the country.

Maybe she really didn't envision the consequences - but there were consequences.

That's the problem. It feels like chatting to friends or a few people in a gathering but it's out there on social media and can be replicated around the world.

Allira

Wyllow3

And this is where posters like Connelly come in. Just hurty words? - but out there on X.
Viewed and reposted many times to people of all backgrounds. picked up by thousands across the country.

Maybe she really didn't envision the consequences - but there were consequences.

That's the problem. It feels like chatting to friends or a few people in a gathering but it's out there on social media and can be replicated around the world.

Maybe that post should be pinned to the top of every social media platform - it's so true!

Oreo

Many of the crowds joining in the riots, even if just stood watching were passing by I read at the time, or came out of their houses on hearing a nearby hubub.So quite a few of them did join in spontaneously.The first instance of surrounding a hotel would have been spread by SM.
Two women who were jailed I think for jumping on a car, were out taking their dog for a walk, a mother and daughter.

They must have wanted to join in. If I were out walking and saw a mob attacking the police or an asylum hostel, I can honestly say that I would not have joined in just for the fun of it.

It’s a crowd thing, people get caught up in it.You may not and nor may I but it’s a known phenomenon.

Yes Allira I think it’s only now that people are thinking more carefully about what they say in group chats and any forums.

Oreo

Yes Allira I think it’s only now that people are thinking more carefully about what they say in group chats and any forums.

That's what I was saying upthread about how it is now loud and clear that it is unacceptable.

People probably 'just joined in' on Kristellnacht.

It is human nature to do what others are doing, particularly in times when society is fractured. Those who encourage murderous behaviour are not just saying 'hurty words' - they are contributing to environments where people get hurt or killed, and are as guilty as those carrying out the offences.

"people just join in" really? People see mobs rioting whilst they're going about their normal everyday business and "just join in"? Actually I think the vast majority of people find riots and violence quite terrifying and will get out of the area asap.
However when you get the likes of Andrew McIntyre and Tommy Robinson orchestrating their gangs of thugs via social media that's when the violence really starts. It's a day out for racist thugs who come out of their holes to cause damage to people, property and the police fgs let's see them for what they are.
These riots were most definitely not "spontaneous" they were sparked off and organised via social media. Now, I didn't get any posts or messages telling me who the murderer was or telling me where to go to kill people, why not? Obviously the algorithms that push this vileness didn't identify me as a potential thug or rioter but those messages did get through to thousands of people (including members of this forum) and that's what I find absolutely terrifying.

dear me " just join in". How so?

I saw 2 or 3 teenagers attack another. I didn't just " join in".
I tried to help.

If that makes me a do gooder/woke/ virtue signaling I can live with that.

But if course people join in, it has happened in riots throughout the years, it is partly why looting happens in these circumstances. You could see at a glance that there were the hard core racists there and also the feckless for want of a better word.

Exactly Galaxy there would be hard core racists , ‘feckless’ and so on and a number of people simply seeing a crowd would add to it even if only to watch or shout.
If a few people gather then others passing by gather as well, it’s what humans do.It doesn’t mean that all will do it but a significant number do, as you say throughout history and happening today and will happen in the future.
For some it’s also a chance to take a swipe at authority and feels exciting.
Am amazed that posters don’t seem to know this.🤔

If you look through the names and addresses of people receiving the longest sentences they are often from another area and have come armed with a blade or a cosh. These are not casual people passing through. The lesser sentences often suspended or non custodial were often younger local people who threw stones or joined in once they knew there was something "going on". My point is these riots were planned and orchestrated not just spontaneous that's why people received some lengthy sentences for incitement.

foxie48

"people just join in" really? People see mobs rioting whilst they're going about their normal everyday business and "just join in"? Actually I think the vast majority of people find riots and violence quite terrifying and will get out of the area asap.
However when you get the likes of Andrew McIntyre and Tommy Robinson orchestrating their gangs of thugs via social media that's when the violence really starts. It's a day out for racist thugs who come out of their holes to cause damage to people, property and the police fgs let's see them for what they are.
These riots were most definitely not "spontaneous" they were sparked off and organised via social media. Now, I didn't get any posts or messages telling me who the murderer was or telling me where to go to kill people, why not? Obviously the algorithms that push this vileness didn't identify me as a potential thug or rioter but those messages did get through to thousands of people (including members of this forum) and that's what I find absolutely terrifying.

What makes you think that those messages were relayed to members of this forum, has anyone said so?
Where does this accusation of ‘hurty’ words come from as I have never used that expression, if anyone knows?

For those who came armed with a weapon it would be used against them in court quite rightly.
There were those who received prison sentences who didn’t, I read through the whole list at the time and I considered some sentences disproportionate.

"hurty words" was used in connection with this case by a poster.

Sickening but there we are.

"Oreo* I was referring to the comment made earlier in this thread about a GN thread that ran at the time of the riots. It seemed that some posters had heard that the murderer was an asylum seeker and posted that information. I believe the thread was deleted by GNHQ
fwiw I have never used the phrase "hurty words" or referred to them in any of my posts.

foxie48

"Oreo* I was referring to the comment made earlier in this thread about a GN thread that ran at the time of the riots. It seemed that some posters had heard that the murderer was an asylum seeker and posted that information. I believe the thread was deleted by GNHQ
fwiw I have never used the phrase "hurty words" or referred to them in any of my posts.

That’s why I wrote ‘if anyone knows’ about the expression of ‘hurty words’ as it wasn’t something that I said or even noticed and it keeps being brought up.
Probably best not to write anything about a former thread that apparently was deleted and stick to what posters write on this thread that we can actually see and refer to if needed don’t you think?
On my own part I can’t think of much more to say on the subject on here.We all think differently on it but it’s been interesting to read the posts.

Actually I think it is very relevant to this thread as it shows how quickly misinformation can travel and it was raised early on in this thread . We should all be very careful of what we post, even if it gets deleted people can have long memories.
"her text was reprehensible as was the forwarding of the text falsely naming an asylum seeker responsible for the Southport murders, incidentally posted, later deleted.
on Gransnet."

foxie48

"Oreo* I was referring to the comment made earlier in this thread about a GN thread that ran at the time of the riots. It seemed that some posters had heard that the murderer was an asylum seeker and posted that information. I believe the thread was deleted by GNHQ
fwiw I have never used the phrase "hurty words" or referred to them in any of my posts.

I read that thread at the time; it was (quite rightly) deleted.

I vividly remember one particular poster who gave ‘the name’ of the then alleged killer, and how he had supposedly arrived in the UK. Both claims were lies that were circling on some areas of SM, yet repeated!

IMO that thread was one of GN’s lowest moments.

If you google 'hurty words' you will see that the poster was parroting a phrase from the media. I don't know who the poster was, and in any case when I mentioned the phrase I wasn't referring to the poster herself, but to the repeated use of the phrase as others picked it up and continued to parrot it.

It is so easy for bad actors to shift the narrative by introducing words and phrases that others will pick up and use. These days so much of what we read and hear is sloganeering ('two-tier Keir', '. . . on its knees', 'stop the boats' etc) and trotting out the words of others stops people thinking for themselves.