• UK to legalise insults for personal use
    37 replies, posted
[img]http://imgkk.com/i/4xpo.jpg[/img] [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21020737[/url] [quote=BBC News][B]The crime of "insulting" someone through words or behaviour, which once led to the arrest of a student for asking a police officer whether his horse was gay, is to be dropped.[/B] Home Secretary Theresa May confirmed to MPs that the government would not seek to overturn a Lords amendment scrapping the ban. The director of public prosecutions has said it will not hinder his work. But Labour warned that it could remove protections for minority groups. Section 5 of the 1986 Public Order Act currently means that "threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour" might be deemed a criminal offence. [B]Burning poppies[/B] It has been strongly criticised by free-speech campaigners, and in December the House of Lords voted by 150 to 54, a majority of 96, to remove the word insulting. The move was championed in the upper chamber by former West Midlands chief constable Lord Dear. Mrs May told MPs: "I respect the review taken by their Lordships. They had concerns which I know are shared by some in this House that Section 5 encroaches upon freedom of expression. "On the other hand, the view expressed by many in the police is that Section 5 including the word insulting is a valuable tool in helping them keep the peace and maintain public order. "Now there's always a careful balance to be struck between protecting our proud tradition of free speech and taking action against those who cause widespread offence with their actions." She said the government had supported the retention of the word insulting to prevent people swearing at police officers, protesters burning poppies, or "similar scenarios". [B]'Victory'[/B] Ahead of the Lords vote, Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer wrote: "We are unable to identify a case in which the alleged behaviour leading to conviction could not properly be characterised as 'abusive' as well as 'insulting'. "I therefore agree that the word 'insulting' could safely be removed without the risk of undermining the ability of the CPS to bring prosecutions." Mrs May said that, following Mr Starmer's intervention, ministers were "not minded" to challenge the Lords amendment to the Crime and Courts Bill. But shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper pressed the government to produce an "assessment of the impact of Section 5 of the Public Order Act on different groups, particularly on minority groups". "Many people have said that the existing Section 5 has formed some sort of protection," she told MPs. "It is important to make sure we can protect freedom of speech but it is also very important to make sure we can protect vulnerable groups from unfair discrimination." Campaigners say that different interpretations of the word insulting have led to spurious arrests, such as the arrest of a teenager for holding a "Scientology is a dangerous cult" placard. Simon Calvert, campaign director for the Reform Section 5 group, said: "This is a victory for free speech. "People of all shades of opinion have suffered at the hands of Section 5. By accepting the Lords amendment to reform it, the government has managed to please the widest possible cross-section of society. They have done the right thing and we congratulate them."[/quote]
why was this a law in the first place?
[quote]which once led to the arrest of a student for asking a police officer whether his horse was gay, is to be dropped.[/quote] [img]http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsgr56vVs81qlsz95o1_500.gif[/img] [highlight](User was banned for this post ("Image macro" - Craptasket))[/highlight]
Does this mean flaming is now allowed on FP
[QUOTE=smurfy;39232349]Does this mean flaming is now allowed on FP[/QUOTE] What about the law on "Trolling"
I can't wait to face the insults of everyone now *-*
[QUOTE=smurfy;39232349]Does this mean flaming is now allowed on FP[/QUOTE] Private venue - so no.
Wait. What? Insulting people was illegal?
your horse is gay m8
[QUOTE=Vasili;39233971]your horse is gay m8[/QUOTE] Stop right there criminal scum
wow didn't know it was illegal in UK, british are pretty dirty mouthed :s I guess law proved itself pretty useless/dumb
That sounds like the kind of law that would be passed by someone who's bitter about being called names at school.
[QUOTE=twatbagg;39234904]That sounds like the kind of law that would be passed by someone who's bitter about being called names at school.[/QUOTE] Good old Thatcher
[QUOTE=smurfy;39232349]Does this mean flaming is now allowed on FP[/QUOTE] shut your mouth ya cheeky berk ima shove a lighta up your ass faget
"On the other hand, the view expressed by many in the police is that Section 5 including the word insulting is a valuable tool in helping them keep the peace and maintain public order." aka, we need this bullshit law to continue abusing our power and fucking people over for bullshit reasons
Does this mean I can start carrying a pocket knife like the rest of the civilized world!?
About time, being arrested every time I called someone a name was getting pretty annoying
"Piss of ya li'l wankah ill hook ya straight in the gabber mate i swear on me mum!" *Handcuffed*
[QUOTE=DarkSiper;39234842]wow didn't know it was illegal in UK, british are pretty dirty mouthed :s I guess law proved itself pretty useless/dumb[/QUOTE] stick it up yer arse you gay paedo in all seriousness this is good, might help tone down the fucking weird cases of people being arrested because they said something inflammatory on facebook that people then reported to the police
So wait, the article doesn't tell. Was the horse gay?
[QUOTE=Vasili;39233971]your horse is gay m8[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=OP;1]which once led to the arrest of a student for asking a police officer whether his horse was gay[/QUOTE] Is your horse gay? [sp]No offense m8, but is your horse gay?[/sp]
[QUOTE=smurfy;39232349]Does this mean flaming is now allowed on FP[/QUOTE] fuck you gay faggot you fucking wanker you're a dumb fuck go stick your tiny cock in a bee hive you tosser [sp]joking love you[/sp] [editline]16th January 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=gokiyono;39240085]Is your horse gay? [sp]No offense m8, but is your horse gay?[/sp][/QUOTE] my horse is HQRSE
[QUOTE=smurfy;39235395]Good old Thatcher[/QUOTE] Frigid milk snatcher. Oh, guess I'm on solitary confinement now.
[QUOTE=Vasili;39233971]your horse is gay m8[/QUOTE] How'd you know that my horse was happy?
[QUOTE=pansarkurt;39239930]"Piss of ya li'l wankah ill hook ya straight in the gabber mate i swear on me mum!" *Handcuffed*[/QUOTE] u avin' a giggle?
Apparently this went ahead because of a campaign led by Rowan Atkinson
how is the difference between insulting and abusive being defined? "You are a cunt" could pretty much come under either
[QUOTE=Fergeh;39241242]how is the difference between insulting and abusive being defined? "You are a cunt" could pretty much come under either[/QUOTE] Harrassment would be continued use of such insults
As a gay horse I found this article: Draining
I still think (Although I'm not sure if this new law stops it) that people should face a fine or be arrested for verbally abusing the police. This probably still exists though which is a good thing.
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