Sticks and stones may break my bones…

No, RosieAHM, it isn't!
While I'm not advocating for a starving person to be transported for theft of a loaf, I would love to see a world where there's a clear delineation between right and wrong and where wrong-doing inevitably attracts punishment commensurate with the damage (to persons or property) caused by that offence.

I don't recall ever seeing a party manifesto setting out that crimes will go unhindered and unpunished while name-calling will be treatedas the ultimate social evil so none of us ever voted for this.

At some time, while our backs were turned and we were busy with other things - earning a living, paying the bills, raising our children - the world went mad and the loonies took over the asylum. (And if that phrase annoys anybody well, sorry but I can't think of a better one). The catch wasn't secure on Pandora's box and now it's far too late to snare all the ills of the world and shove them back inside.

I don't know the answer unless we are to have a coup by some tyrannical regime which will opress us all into compliance with the law by means of ever more draconian measures. But would we want that? I doubt it. Despots rarely come to a good end.

Its utterly depressing to admit this but I'm glad I'm over seventy and don't have too many more decades left to watch the pantomime play out.

I am not in favour of GL's arrest. He is absolutely right that men are men and women are women.

What has that to do with shoplifters, muggers et al?

It's appalling. I don't know what's happened to us.

I think it's a bit more than "sticks and stones".

And it's not the first time he's done something stupid.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn0x2kx08wdo

It is not something stupid.

He is standing up for the rights of women and girls and, like others such as J K Rowling, is threatened and vilified.

Five armed police officers arresting one man who has tweeted something that someone else objected to?

The head of the Metropolitan Police has called on the government to "change or clarify" the law following the arrest of comedian Graham Linehan over posts he made online.

The police had to be seen to be doing their duty, apparently, but one or two unarmed police officers could have asked him to accompany them for a chat.
What an overreaction and waste of resources.

Sir Keir Starmer said the police must "focus on the most serious issues" when asked in the Commons about the arrest.
🤔

In his statement on Wednesday, Sir Mark said the decision to arrest Linehan "was made within existing legislation - which dictates that a threat to punch someone from a protected group could be an offence". Actually, that is a twisting of what he did say.

So presumably a woman in a women's only space has no protection in the law as women are not a protected group?

I am terrified of anyone who thinks a comedian should be arrested for tweets. I think it looks like there are going to be changes to how the police interpret the law, the Met police are chuntering on about it.

It is beginning to look like the Police go for easy targets.

Far easier to arrest a comedian man getting off of a plane, than to actually look for a thief, mugger, drug dealer etc.,

The optics are just dreadful.

Yet again someone sticking up for women only spaces, is scapegoated.

You only have to look on social media to numerous videos, tweets or photos of transgender women (men) threatening women, have they all been arrested?

(I have not posted what is in these banners, or their comments, as I am mindful of not crossing into illegal areas)

I don't want to live in a UK where armed police turn up to arrest a person who, unless airport security has been spectacularly lax, isn't suspected of carrying a weapon. No wonder he needed hospital treatment. As for the crime, the law certainly does need clarification but whoever ordered the arrest needs to justify sending in armed officers when no physical threat to the public existed.

I’m still shocked that armed police arrested Graham Linehan as he arrived at an English airport, simply because of a tweet. We all know our police are overstretched to the extent we get a crime number not an investigation when burgled.
It’s a total waste of resources and plays right into the hands of those who say we are losing freedom of speech.

He poses no threat, is entitled to express his views. He looks so vulnerable and has lost so much. It feels like cruel and unusual behaviour. Where is the Judge who will talk about crushing a butterfly

His interview on the BBC news last night was interesting.

Lucy Manning was emanating hatred from every pore.

Lineman was shaking and he looked ill, I hope and pray this wonderful man who gave us Father Ted is not heading for a breakdown.

Horrible. You wonder who exactly ordered the police to do this because that is the person we should blame. They were probably just doing what they were told by someone higher up. That someone should lose their job.

Allira

It is not something stupid.

He is standing up for the rights of women and girls and, like others such as J K Rowling, is threatened and vilified.

Five armed police officers arresting one man who has tweeted something that someone else objected to?

The head of the Metropolitan Police has called on the government to "change or clarify" the law following the arrest of comedian Graham Linehan over posts he made online.

The police had to be seen to be doing their duty, apparently, but one or two unarmed police officers could have asked him to accompany them for a chat.
What an overreaction and waste of resources.

Sir Keir Starmer said the police must "focus on the most serious issues" when asked in the Commons about the arrest.
🤔

In his statement on Wednesday, Sir Mark said the decision to arrest Linehan "was made within existing legislation - which dictates that a threat to punch someone from a protected group could be an offence". Actually, that is a twisting of what he did say.

So presumably a woman in a women's only space has no protection in the law as women are not a protected group?

So what did he actually say? I can't imagine he was arrested for saying men are men and women are women. It must be more than that.

I think the armed officers is a red herring, they are all armed at airports. Not sure where they'd be expected to leave their guns.

The actual meaning of the tweet has been lost on the arresting officers. “Kick him in the balls”. Let’s think about it. A woman in a woman’s space. Linehan is an absolute hero. The police have lost all sense of proportion.
I am sad that Linehan’s marriage has ended too. I read that he wanted to protect his wife and daughter. It’s a great shame that the police are too unintelligent to understand the implications here. Disgraceful.

GrannyGravy
easy targets that’s exactly it. Tick box, job done.
We are continuously being told that crime is dropping, bullshit.
Real crime is on the increase.

Women are a protected group btw.

5 armed police officers?
Talk about overkill.
If he hadn’t been a high profile person whose arrest would garner publicity it would never had happened.
I despair sometimes.

ronib

Women are a protected group btw.

But men aren’t allowed to defend them, only to attack them, upset them or discriminate against them . . .
Sounds about right.

Linehan's comment about kicking a transwoman in the Ladies in the balls came at the same time as the Queen said she'd once kicked a man in the balls!

What do you mean? Mollygo

Two high profile instances of the police overreaching their authority.

The first is peaceful supporters of PA

The second is as the OP example.

Something is happening and I feel very uneasy.

Whitewavemark2PA has been proscribed as a terrorist organisation here in the U.K.

There are multiple ways the protesters could have shown their support for Palestinians, without holding posters in support of Palestinian Action Group

I like most are not party to all the reasons our intelligence agencies advocated for them to be proscribed, they have to put the safety of all citizens of the U.K. paramount.

ronib

What do you mean? Mollygo

Why was GL arrested? Was he attacking women (AHF just to be clear) or defending them?

Mollygo

ronib

Women are a protected group btw.

But men aren’t allowed to defend them, only to attack them, upset them or discriminate against them . . .
Sounds about right.

Women are a protected group btw.

But other people's rights trump theirs.

I know what you mean Mollygo 🙂
If men defend women's rights, they get arrested.

petra

GrannyGravy
easy targets that’s exactly it. Tick box, job done.
We are continuously being told that crime is dropping, bullshit.
Real crime is on the increase.

Oh goodness, you'd be amazed at how the crime rates have been manipulated in different ways over many years!