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Of all the places to broach tyranny, you'd think Northern Ireland would know better. I refer to the IRA and the old folks who knew about calculated murder and c
by all2 2y ago
Of all the places to broach tyranny, you'd think Northern Ireland would know better. I refer to the IRA and the old folks who knew about calculated murder and car bombs to dissuade certain political actions.
I am not advocating violence, simply stating that the peoples of Northern Ireland are well familiar with tyranny, and are mentally equipped to do something about it. They used to be, anyway.
- jmkni 2y agoOne of the side effects of The Troubles was giving the police more power than they have in the rest of the UK. For example, if you are arrested in Northern Ireland, you have no "right to remain silent" thanks to a law brought in in 1988. A court can draw "adverse inferences" (take it as a sign of guilt) if you remain silent during a police interview.
- dave4420 2y agoI’m pretty sure that law got extended to the rest of the UK a few years later. (I agree with your overall point though.)
- arrowsmith 2y ago“You don’t have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you don’t mention when questioned something that you later rely on in court.” That’s what UK cops say when arresting someone.
- southernplaces7 2y agoWhat an absolutely repulsive and manipulative abuse of power asymmetry against the civil population. This is especially the case coming from a country that at least ostensibly makes claim to being a defender of civil liberties. To assume that a person going through the deeply stressful, possibly traumatic process of being arrested is going to have a clear mind on what to say, not say or remember as useful for their defense is ridiculous. Nobody should be expected to remember exactly what things to say so that they later don't harm their defense in a potentially complex trial with all kinds possible outcomes and evidence that they know nothing about in advance. This applies especially in not uncommon cases of a victim being arrested by mistake for something they didn't even do. They could easily have no idea at all about why they're being targeted, yet should know what statements they should or shouldn't make right from the moment of their arrest? Laughable nonsense. We can make many arguments for the abusive aspects of the U.S. criminal justice system but at least the basic but generally firm rule of having a complete right to silence gives one decent advantage to those suddenly confronted with judicial power.
- alamortsubite 2y agoThe government has also at times permitted the police to torture suspects, and allowed indefinite detention without trial: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-27714715 https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-27714715
- dundarious 2y agoProtest laws are very different in NI. Draconian compared to the rest of the UK, at least before the last Tory government's changes.
- lawlessone 2y ago>Protest laws are very different in NI. Draconian compared to the rest of the UK. Yeah but you can close a street and march all day as long as you call it a tradition and not a protest against oil.
- regularization 2y agoActually you can go back to the 1922 Special Powers Act, or before that even.