Reply With QuoteHard to comment on, there's not alot of information in the story.
Man arrested for racially offensive remarks on Twitter
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology...fabrice-muamba...police forces throughout the UK regularly take action against those who post racially offensive remarks on Twitter but rarely feel the need to issue a public statement indicating it has happened.
The statement said: "South Wales police have arrested a 21-year-old male from the Pontypridd area in connection with racially offensive comments made on the social network site Twitter. The male is currently being held in custody at Swansea Central police station."
Hard to comment on, there's not alot of information in the story.
If it's about race, liberal cl is there.
x2..................Originally Posted by Fargin
It has become more prevalent, especially in Scotland, where bigoted comments between Rangers and Celtic fans (i.e. Protestant vs Catholic) are being seen as a crime which can lead to arrest and a court appearance.
As a famous coach explained it, the terraces in Scottish football grounds, where opposing fans shout abuse at each other over 90 minutes helps to alleviate built up tensions. By eradicating it, you could potentially be adding fuel to the fire, where more public clashes could occur.
Heaven forbid the police do their job and actually investigate a possible crime!
Making it completely unacceptable and unsociable would go a long way to making peoples public and working lives better in Scotland. I am absolutely sick of mentally defective bigots in the West of Scotland its one of the few gripes I have about my country.
He should stick to just coaching football
as his excuse for continued use of racist bigotry
proves he sucks at psychology.
Connaught Ranger.
As an American, this seems pretty foreign to me... i can post the N-word on twitter all day, and while i might get a pack of angry black men at my door, i wont get arrested. I suppose theres a significant culture difference... though i dont really like the idea of limiting speech in any way, no matter how bigotted it may be, simply because it sets a dangerous precedent. obvious exceptions would exist i suppose, such as ****** profanity in the precense of children or threats of physical harm.
Jumping over the fact that the guy making the remarks is an A-hole (he left the remarks on a "get well" list - that is like taking the time to curse someone on his hospital "get well" card), I have three questions regarding the law in UK, for people inclined to respond :
1. In UK, is it illegal to make racist comments in a private forum?
2. Does a room full of people, all gathered as result of an invite constitute a private or a public forum?
3. Don't you need to become a follower to read someone tweets (is there an option for that, if so, how does this still qualify as a public forum)? -- no trolling, I do not know how twitter works and I don't see the need to learn either.
Which part of the UK (To save Wahnsinn a heart attack). In England and Wales the law states
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1986/64/section/5
You can read anyones Tweets if they're a public profile (which the majority are). If they change their profile to private only approved followers may read them.Harassment, alarm or distress.
(1)A person is guilty of an offence if he
(a)uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour, or
(b)displays any writing, sign or other visible representation which is threatening, abusive or insulting,
within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress thereby.
(2)An offence under this section may be committed in a public or a private place, except that no offence is committed where the words or behaviour are used, or the writing, sign or other visible representation is displayed, by a person inside a dwelling and the other person is also inside that or another dwelling.
Funny I thought racial abuse was a crime. If you don't want police to investigate it tell your MP so they can change the law.
I read Wahnsinn's post as coming down on the side of the law rather against it!
Thanks Corrupt! Somehow I was expecting these laws to be the same for all UK (not necessary true). The English and Welsh laws are sufficient for me to make an rough opinion.
The (2) point cited is important to what I was thinking. So only private homes (dwelling) are exempt from this law. No other private meeting places exempts you from it and definitely not Twitter (apparently, even with a profile set to private).
P.S.> As a side remark,
I can understand (and approve of) the other terms, but insulting (= speak to or treat with disrespect or scornful abuse) is such a subjective word to use in a law. Sometimes I wonder if all these key words are defined in a separate cod of law. I mean, it should not be as simple as me claiming I am disrespected to make my opponent shut up.(b)displays any writing, sign or other visible representation which is threatening, abusive or insulting, within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress thereby.
Since England (for example) does not have a law against the display of Nazi symbols, could not this law be used instead? A Jewish person can simply claim to be insulted by the depiction of the swastika.
I agree. The fact you can be arrested for insulting someone is just an alien concept.... "Insulting" is such a broad/subjective term. Anyone could say the are insulted by just about anything....
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