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>> "According to documents made public during Miranda’s civil suit, police determined that he was subject to the anti-terror law because he was[...] promoting a

>> "According to documents made public during Miranda’s civil suit, police determined that he was subject to the anti-terror law because he was[...] promoting a “political or ideological cause.”" I understand they had other 'terrorism' related reasons for detaining him (which I don't agree with), but the fact that someone can be detained simply for promoting a political or ideological cause is a disgrace. I'm sure it's there to stop extremist preachers but it's way to broad and sounds like it could be used to stop a hell of a lot of non-terrorists.

spindritf 13y ago
So harassing and silencing "extremist" preachers would be... fine? Is this OK? A Christian street preacher was arrested and locked in a cell for telling a passer-by that homosexuality is a sin in the eyes of God.[1] Is the law too broad only when it hits someone whose cause you care about? And how do we decide which opinions are "extremist" or may serve as justification for detention? Hey, maybe we could have courts rule on that. [1] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/7668448/Christian-preacher-arrested-for-saying-homosexuality-is-a-sin.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/7668448/Christian-p...
- k-mcgrady 13y ago
  Sorry, my point wasn't that I thought it was ok if used to silence certain people. It was that they have a reason that a lot of people would not object to. Hate speech isn't allowed in the UK (people have been locked up for racist tweets).
- blueskin_ 13y ago
  >A Christian street preacher was arrested and locked in a cell for telling a passer-by that homosexuality is a sin in the eyes of God.[1] Sounds fine to me.
  - krapp 13y ago
    Fascism always seems just when you disagree with the point of view being silenced. That's why it's so pernicious.
    - gadders 13y ago
      "First they came for the homophobes..."
- andyjohnson0 13y ago
  According to the article you cited, he was arrested for causing "harassment, alarm or distress" to a passer-by, who complained to a nearby police officer. He wasn't arrested for simply stating an opinion.
  - girvo 13y ago
    Have you ever been arrested? The charges you end up with often have little to do with reality. I despise people like the one we are discussing, but your post isn't convincing evidence that he was doing more, to be honest.
  - coldtea 13y ago
    Can the citing be any more vague? Anybody could claim "distress, harassment or alarm" -- just because he doesn't like what you're telling him.
alephnil 13y ago
Promoting a political or ideological cause is the corner stone of exercising democratic rights if it is not done by violent means. If that is a reason for detention, then you are no longer in a democracy.
- pera 13y ago
  Actually I think this could be a good thing: we could put every politician in jail
  - vidarh 13y ago
    They would presumably present in their defence that they don't care about ideology or any political cause at all, but is just in it for the money and power.
- andyjohnson0 13y ago
  According to the cited Telegraph article, he was arrested for causing "harassment, alarm or distress" to a passer-by, who complained to a nearby police officer. He wasn't arrested for simply stating an opinion.
  - Zigurd 13y ago
    Was that "passer-by" ever identified?
    - hahainternet 13y ago
      Why would they be? You have a right to privately report something to a police officer.
      - Zigurd 13y ago
        Why wouldn't you be able to subpoena a witness?
        13y ago
pgeorgi 13y ago
That applies to every politician (bringing home a kitchen knife set from the store, if the "dangerous material" part of the statement is significant).
timthorn 13y ago
You snipped a quite important part there: > ...knowingly carrying material, the release of which would endanger people’s lives”...
- k-mcgrady 13y ago
  It seemed to me that that was a separate reason. It reads as though you can be detained for "knowingly carrying material, the release of which would endanger people’s lives" OR promoting a political ideology and that you didn't have to satisfy both criteria.
Anderkent 13y ago
The 'political or ideological cause' qualification has come up before, in relation to british people fighting in syria: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/10/orwell-hero-terrorism-syria-british-fighters-damned http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/10/orwell-...

spindritf 13y ago

So harassing and silencing "extremist" preachers would be... fine? Is this OK? A Christian street preacher was arrested and locked in a cell for telling a passer-by that homosexuality is a sin in the eyes of God.[1] Is the law too broad only when it hits someone whose cause you care about? And how do we decide which opinions are "extremist" or may serve as justification for detention? Hey, maybe we could have courts rule on that. [1] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/7668448/Christian-preacher-arrested-for-saying-homosexuality-is-a-sin.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/7668448/Christian-p...

k-mcgrady 13y ago
Sorry, my point wasn't that I thought it was ok if used to silence certain people. It was that they have a reason that a lot of people would not object to. Hate speech isn't allowed in the UK (people have been locked up for racist tweets).
blueskin_ 13y ago
>A Christian street preacher was arrested and locked in a cell for telling a passer-by that homosexuality is a sin in the eyes of God.[1] Sounds fine to me.
- krapp 13y ago
  Fascism always seems just when you disagree with the point of view being silenced. That's why it's so pernicious.
  - gadders 13y ago
    "First they came for the homophobes..."
andyjohnson0 13y ago
According to the article you cited, he was arrested for causing "harassment, alarm or distress" to a passer-by, who complained to a nearby police officer. He wasn't arrested for simply stating an opinion.
- girvo 13y ago
  Have you ever been arrested? The charges you end up with often have little to do with reality. I despise people like the one we are discussing, but your post isn't convincing evidence that he was doing more, to be honest.
- coldtea 13y ago
  Can the citing be any more vague? Anybody could claim "distress, harassment or alarm" -- just because he doesn't like what you're telling him.

alephnil 13y ago

Promoting a political or ideological cause is the corner stone of exercising democratic rights if it is not done by violent means. If that is a reason for detention, then you are no longer in a democracy.

pera 13y ago
Actually I think this could be a good thing: we could put every politician in jail
- vidarh 13y ago
  They would presumably present in their defence that they don't care about ideology or any political cause at all, but is just in it for the money and power.
andyjohnson0 13y ago
According to the cited Telegraph article, he was arrested for causing "harassment, alarm or distress" to a passer-by, who complained to a nearby police officer. He wasn't arrested for simply stating an opinion.
- Zigurd 13y ago
  Was that "passer-by" ever identified?
  - hahainternet 13y ago
    Why would they be? You have a right to privately report something to a police officer.
    - Zigurd 13y ago
      Why wouldn't you be able to subpoena a witness?
      - 13y ago

pgeorgi 13y ago

That applies to every politician (bringing home a kitchen knife set from the store, if the "dangerous material" part of the statement is significant).

timthorn 13y ago

You snipped a quite important part there: > ...knowingly carrying material, the release of which would endanger people’s lives”...

k-mcgrady 13y ago
It seemed to me that that was a separate reason. It reads as though you can be detained for "knowingly carrying material, the release of which would endanger people’s lives" OR promoting a political ideology and that you didn't have to satisfy both criteria.

Anderkent 13y ago

The 'political or ideological cause' qualification has come up before, in relation to british people fighting in syria: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/10/orwell-hero-terrorism-syria-british-fighters-damned http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/10/orwell-...