Allegations of hate speech made against 120,000 people have been logged by police, prompting criticism that they have diverted attention from forces tackling other priorities, such as violent crime.
Campaigners added that logging “non-crime hate incidents”, even after police had decided that what had been said or posted online had broken no laws, had a “chilling effect” on free speech.
In response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request, none of the 43 police forces in England and Wales could cite any crime that had been prevented and 20 said that they did not have a system to monitor the effectiveness of recording the claims.
Read article: Hate speech records are having ‘chilling effect’ on free speech
Police have recorded hate-speech allegations against more than 120,000 people – yet cannot identify a single crime that has been prevented by the exercise.
Critics say the controversial practice of logging ‘non-crime hate incidents’, even after officers decided what was said or posted online did not break any laws, has a ‘chilling effect on free speech’.
Read article: Police log 120,000 ‘hate reports’ – but not ONE is a crime – as top cops defend system
Hatred is the worst of all human emotions. It destroys relationships, causes chaos and destruction to others; saddest of all, it hurts the hater just as much as the object of their animosity.
Gandhi had a good line about anger, hatred’s close cousin, which applies just as well: holding onto these emotions is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.
Read the article: Should the Government be policing hate?
When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 it took with it the East German State security force known as the ‘Stasi’. At the time of its demise, the Stasi employed 91,015 people and relied on 173,081 informants. This works out as one secret police officer for every 166 East Germans, making the Gestapo look like lazy amateurs with their trifling one per 2,000. The Stasi were dangerous because of their embrace of ‘Zersetzung’ (‘decomposition’ or ‘biodegradation’). The aim of ‘Zersetzung’ was to destroy the psychological integrity of an individual, by gathering information to damage their reputation and their personal relationships.
Read article: The British Twitter Stasi
Hate speech in private homes could become a crime, according to reports. The Law Commission, an independent body that reviews England Wales’ law and recommends reforms, has argued that the ‘private dwelling’ defence, which stops people being convicted of stirring up division because their actions were in private places, should be removed from the Public Order Act.
Harry Miller, former police officer and co-founder of anti-hate-crime laws organisation and pro-freedom of speech advocates Fair Cop, said the Law Commission’s recommendation ‘is a direct threat to the sanctity of the family home.’
Read article: Stirring up divisions in private homes ‘could become hate crime’
Proposals to prosecute individuals for hate crimes based on what they discuss in their own homes need to be more widely debated, free speech organisations have said.
The suggestion to remove the “dwelling” privacy exemption from criminal legislation is buried in a few paragraphs of the Law Commission’s 544-page consultation on hate crime published in September.
The proposal was spotted by the organisation Fair Cop, which campaigns against what it says is misuse of legislation to curb free speech. Sarah Phillimore, a barrister and member of the organisation, said it would encourage “state surveillance or people to inform on their friends. How else would they get the evidence? It will be like the East German Stasi security service.”
Read article: UK lawyers uneasy about plan to prosecute hate speech at home
TALKING about race, religion or sex over the dinner table at home could soon become a HATE crime, says a report.
The Law Commission claims the offence of “stirring up” division should be extended into private homes.
According to the Daily Mail, the Commission has drawn up a 500-page consultation report which will be presented to ministers next year.
Harry Miller, a businessman, former policeman and founder of Fair Cop, which opposes hate crime rules, told the Mail: “If the private home law is adopted by Government, a comment over the dinner table about a huge range of people could lead to a prison sentence.”
Read article: DINNER CRIME Talking about race, religion or sex over dinner table at home could become a HATE CRIME
Lawyers are calling on the Government to consider making hate speech illegal at the dinner table.
The Law Commission has proposed that the crime of stirring up hatred on the grounds of race, religion or sexual orientation should be extended to private homes.
A 500-page consultation report on reforming hate crime laws will be handed to ministers next year.
However, opponents of the rules branded the move ‘neo-Marxist’ and fear it could land people in jail for making a comment at the dinner table.
Read article: Lawyers call for ministers to consider making hate speech illegal at dinner table
Lawyers call for offence to be extended to private dwellings – meaning conversations at home could spark police probes and prison sentences
Harry Miller, a businessman, former policeman and founder of Fair Cop, which opposes hate crime rules, said: ‘If the private home law is adopted by Government, a comment over the dinner table about a huge range of people could lead to a prison sentence.
Read article: Could heated talk over the dinner table become a HATE CRIME?
In the 31 years since Stonewall, the UK’s largest LGBT charity, was founded, it has led the charge on many campaigns for equality. It has fought for parity in the age of consent; for the right of same-sex couples to adopt; for civil partnerships; and for same-sex marriage. In many ways, it is thanks in large part to Stonewall’s efforts that it is now far more socially acceptable to be a homosexual than it is to be a homophobe.
How things have changed. Today, many lesbian, gay and bisexual people feel bitterly let down by the charity they once trusted. Stonewall stands accused of campaigning against women’s rights as defined in the Equality Act, and of bullying those with whom it disagrees out of jobs.
Read article: The Rise and Fall of Stonewall
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