2 ms·

Yes, the same can happen in the US. In general, no country has successfully constructed a magical force field that prevents its police officers from ever arrest

by foldr 2mo ago

Yes, the same can happen in the US. In general, no country has successfully constructed a magical force field that prevents its police officers from ever arresting people for stupid reasons. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/31/tennessee-man-jailed-charlie-kirk-meme https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/31/tennessee-ma...

akimbostrawman 2mo ago
Charges (rightfully) dropped and not prosecuted because of the first amendment, which does not exist in the UK or the EU. "Hate" Speech laws are a blanked go to jail card. Anything interpreted as "grossly offensive" by anybody will result in arrests AND prosecutions.
- foldr 2mo ago
  Most of the online outrage has been about arrests for social media posts, and it’s arrests that you refer to in your comment. When it comes to prosecutions for hate speech, it would be difficult to make the case that the UK is an outlier. There are many other European and non-European countries that have stricter laws in that regard. If your point is just that most of the world, unlike the US, doesn’t consider hate speech to be protected speech, then indeed, that’s true. But there is no reason to single out the UK to make that point. If you want to feel even more outraged, have a look at the list I compiled here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48691436 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48691436
- KaiserPro 2mo ago
  > "Hate" Speech laws are a blanked go to jail card You're confusing communications act with hate speech, which are different. Also the EU is civil code, which does law _very differently_ Also can you point to someone who has been jailed for hate speech? as in it was the only charge, rather than an aggravating factor? (Ie tommy robininson hasn't been convicted for it, ever. and you'd think he'd be the one given that he's organising marches saying lets kill brown people. )

by foldr 2mo ago

akimbostrawman 2mo ago

Charges (rightfully) dropped and not prosecuted because of the first amendment, which does not exist in the UK or the EU. "Hate" Speech laws are a blanked go to jail card. Anything interpreted as "grossly offensive" by anybody will result in arrests AND prosecutions.

foldr 2mo ago
Most of the online outrage has been about arrests for social media posts, and it’s arrests that you refer to in your comment. When it comes to prosecutions for hate speech, it would be difficult to make the case that the UK is an outlier. There are many other European and non-European countries that have stricter laws in that regard. If your point is just that most of the world, unlike the US, doesn’t consider hate speech to be protected speech, then indeed, that’s true. But there is no reason to single out the UK to make that point. If you want to feel even more outraged, have a look at the list I compiled here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48691436 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48691436
KaiserPro 2mo ago
> "Hate" Speech laws are a blanked go to jail card You're confusing communications act with hate speech, which are different. Also the EU is civil code, which does law _very differently_ Also can you point to someone who has been jailed for hate speech? as in it was the only charge, rather than an aggravating factor? (Ie tommy robininson hasn't been convicted for it, ever. and you'd think he'd be the one given that he's organising marches saying lets kill brown people. )