3 ms·

These articles annoy me. They pluralise it to try and make it sound like a large and worrying problem (I think there have been 3 cases). They also imply that s

These articles annoy me. They pluralise it to try and make it sound like a large and worrying problem (I think there have been 3 cases). They also imply that somehow protest against the Monarchy is being stamped out when the most obvious and natural explanation is that the Police are using their powers to decide that someone disrupting a public event off the back of millions of people mourning the loss of a much loved Queen is the right thing to do. Regardless of plenty of criticism, the Police in these scenarios have to decide on the spot, regardless of subtle legal arguments, whether what is happening is likely to cause a breach of the peace or to cause massive offence. There is nothing here that I can see that looks like a "worrying trend" etc.

smileybarry 4y ago
> A 22-year-old woman was arrested on Sunday outside St Giles cathedral in Edinburgh, where the Queen’s coffin was due to lie until Monday, for holding up a sign that said “fuck imperialism, abolish monarchy.” > [...]Police said the woman had been arrested “in connection with a breach of the peace.” On Monday it was revealed she would face criminal charges, to appear in court at a later date. How is quietly holding up a small sign "disrupting a public event"? And deserving of being arrested and charged? They have a right to protest[1], more so when it's a quiet, unobstructive protest. 1: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/12/what-is-the-law-on-the-right-to-protest-in-the-uk https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/12/what-is-the-la...
- Trifectaffe6 4y ago
  - smileybarry 4y ago
    Obscene or not, they’re allowed to protest.
  - yencabulator 4y ago
    That's not the definition of obscene. Obscenity, including in the UK law, is largely about sex. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obscenity#United_Kingdom https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obscenity#United_Kingdom
eptcyka 4y ago
Massive offense? The police are worried they might look weak so they err on the side of punishing the innocent here. If there was substantial potential for inciting a conflict between large groups of people, sure, this might be breach of peace, but this was a handful of people holding up signs peacefully, in a rather quiet manner. I will never not be amazed how often the powerful will receive support for free from their subjects.

smileybarry 4y ago

> A 22-year-old woman was arrested on Sunday outside St Giles cathedral in Edinburgh, where the Queen’s coffin was due to lie until Monday, for holding up a sign that said “fuck imperialism, abolish monarchy.” > [...]Police said the woman had been arrested “in connection with a breach of the peace.” On Monday it was revealed she would face criminal charges, to appear in court at a later date. How is quietly holding up a small sign "disrupting a public event"? And deserving of being arrested and charged? They have a right to protest[1], more so when it's a quiet, unobstructive protest. 1: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/12/what-is-the-law-on-the-right-to-protest-in-the-uk https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/12/what-is-the-la...

Trifectaffe6 4y ago
- smileybarry 4y ago
  Obscene or not, they’re allowed to protest.
- yencabulator 4y ago
  That's not the definition of obscene. Obscenity, including in the UK law, is largely about sex. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obscenity#United_Kingdom https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obscenity#United_Kingdom

eptcyka 4y ago

Massive offense? The police are worried they might look weak so they err on the side of punishing the innocent here. If there was substantial potential for inciting a conflict between large groups of people, sure, this might be breach of peace, but this was a handful of people holding up signs peacefully, in a rather quiet manner. I will never not be amazed how often the powerful will receive support for free from their subjects.