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Neighbour sending me unacceptable videos on WhatsApp

80 replies

AlliBallyBoo · 02/02/2025 20:30

Neighbour, generally nice older woman, perfectly civil but since the winter fuel allowance thing has taken to spouting all sorts of bigotry on Facebook r.e. immigration and immigrants etc.

All the usual stuff you can think of r.e. over here robbing pensioners, stealing jobs, grooming girls, sharia law coming to a town near you, not real refugees. Not just reposted, reposted with her own commentary peppered with the kinds of slurs you'd expect in a 70s sitcom etc. unfriend her because I just don't want to see it.

She's now taken to WhatsApp-ing me links to far right websites and tweets and sending short videos demonising immigrants and refugees etc.

I've messaged back saying I don't want to receive these types of messages and now blocked her.

Not sure what to do. Not sure if I should report her to the police, if she's sending it to me she's definitely sending it to others and whilst I'm not keen on telling tales on people this feels like it goes on unchallenged too often and is part of the reason that xenophobic rhetoric has become so commonplace.

Any thoughts?

OP posts:
Tittat50 · 02/02/2025 21:57

I know you can't say but for me it would depend specifically what is being said. The slurs for example and the exact posts.

I know people who find certain memes disparaging the Government in response to ' boats' funny. I see that differently to direct racist attacks.

MrTiddlesTheCat · 02/02/2025 21:56

GabriellaMontez · 02/02/2025 21:25

A hate crime requires a criminal offence.

What offence is it you feel has been committed?

You were pretty quick to suggest ringing the police.

A section 127 offence under the communications act?

'Offences that fall under section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 include the following: A person sending any public electronic communications network a message or other content that is grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character.'

Rachmorr57 · 02/02/2025 21:52

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

SerenStarEtoile · 02/02/2025 21:50

@GabriellaMontez

Got you there. It’s interesting when people out themselves.

Yeah, night!

BallerinaRadio · 02/02/2025 21:49

Mumsnet would tell you that she is entitled to her opinion and who are you too decide what is far right or bigoted. Because we should all be allowed to say whatever we want and don't you dare judge them they're only saying what the rest of us are thinking etc etc...

It's cropped up before and was full of apologists for racists

GabriellaMontez · 02/02/2025 21:46

SerenStarEtoile · 02/02/2025 21:44

Sorry! Not addressed to all. That’s a post for @GabriellaMontez @maddening

I'm glad you've realised this isn't a hate crime and that reporting it to the police would be a waste of everyone's time.

Night!

ChangingHistory · 02/02/2025 21:45

I think it would come under those non crime hate incidents which means the police would record it with the intention of identifying an escalation of behaviour likely to become criminal.

But I doubt she is actually likely to become a danger to immigrants. And she is entitled to her view however unsavory, there are legitimate political parties that hold the same view.

So just block and ignore.

SerenStarEtoile · 02/02/2025 21:44

Sorry! Not addressed to all. That’s a post for @GabriellaMontez @maddening

JHound · 02/02/2025 21:43

Shoxfordian · 02/02/2025 20:35

Don't think there's much more you can do, but don't speak to her and if others ask then tell them why

This. I don’t believe in protecting bigots reputations. You can be honest about why you no longer are in contact with her.

SerenStarEtoile · 02/02/2025 21:43

Ok peeps. Have it your way. Keep convincing yourselves that your GB News/Reform narrative is just banter.

Signing off.

NormaleKartoffeln · 02/02/2025 21:43

Block her online and in real life.
I'm not sure I'd report her to the police though.

JHound · 02/02/2025 21:41

Just block her should be good enough. Not sure you should be reporting people to police for having vile views but I would definitely block her on all forms of media and blank her in real life.

Luckily I don’t have anybody on my life like this (I am very selective about who I choose to associate with) but the one person who was like this I don’t have contact with anymore.

maddening · 02/02/2025 21:38

But a slur is not a hate crime - I don't support suppression of speech based on your perception of what is offensive- you have the right to be offended but no right to suppress speech on that basis - it is a slippery slope - who defines what is offensive - perhaps your thoughts are offensive to me - so do I have the right to shut you up?

GabriellaMontez · 02/02/2025 21:34

@SerenStarEtoile
Yes it sounds unpleasant.

But not a crime.

SerenStarEtoile · 02/02/2025 21:31

@GabriellaMontez @maddening

The OP used the words “slurs”.

From Cambridge Dictionary:

”an offensive word used to insultsomeone because of their race, sexuality (= the fact of being sexuallyattracted to people of a particulargender), etc.:”

I too value free speech, that is, speech free from “slurs”.

insult

1. an offensive remark or action: 2. something that causes an injury or damage…

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/insult

WellsAndThistles · 02/02/2025 21:27

Block her.

Mittens67 · 02/02/2025 21:27

I have had a similar thing since the winter fuel allowance change from an older friend who has never previously been political or ever has any knowledge or interest in current affairs.
I think she must have liked something lower level on fb and then the algorithm started sending her nastier racist stuff and completely inaccurate “facts” about all immigrants getting brand new iphones etc.
I unfollowed her after her constant reposts of misinformation as it was infuriating me. Useless reporting such nonsense to fb as the bots can’t understand anything less than certain keywords.
Then when we next met up I brought the conversation round to immigration and dropped in a few truthful bits of information and stats as best I could without seeming critical or political as such.
She has stopped reposting horrible links and memes. Not sure if what I said changed her mind or for some other reason.
She is actually a nice person who was misinformed and in her angry state at having lost her WFA was receptive to racist propaganda. In real life she is not like that at all.

maddening · 02/02/2025 21:26

SerenStarEtoile · 02/02/2025 21:15

If demonising immigrants and refugees goes beyond the legally acceptable definitions, then it’s hate crime. Please look at the definitions to inform yourselves. Or are you perpetrators? Pretty quick at jumping down my throat there.

Certainly not a "perpetrator" actually. My family were immigrants on my Dad's side, I am proud of my foreign surname, I grew up appreciating both my parents' cultural heritage.

But I support free speech- I don't agree with some of the incoming hate crime definitions that are a threat to that - it is creeping in to tbe territory of thought crime.

GabriellaMontez · 02/02/2025 21:25

SerenStarEtoile · 02/02/2025 21:15

If demonising immigrants and refugees goes beyond the legally acceptable definitions, then it’s hate crime. Please look at the definitions to inform yourselves. Or are you perpetrators? Pretty quick at jumping down my throat there.

A hate crime requires a criminal offence.

What offence is it you feel has been committed?

You were pretty quick to suggest ringing the police.

maddening · 02/02/2025 21:21

Thw op hasn't described a hate crime by that definition clock.

ClockingOffers · 02/02/2025 21:17

@GabriellaMontez @maddening @Whotenanny

The neighbour is committing a criminal offence by sending unsolicited racist messages.

https://www.met.police.uk/ro/report/hate-crime/information/v1/hate-crime/what-is-hate-crime/

A hate incident is any incident which the victim, or anyone else, thinks is based on someone’s prejudice towards them because of their race, religion, sexual orientation and disability.

Hate content may include:

  • messages calling for violence against a specific person or group
  • web pages that show pictures, videos or descriptions of violence against anyone due to their perceived differences
  • chat forums where people ask other people to commit hate crimes against a specific person or group
SerenStarEtoile · 02/02/2025 21:15

If demonising immigrants and refugees goes beyond the legally acceptable definitions, then it’s hate crime. Please look at the definitions to inform yourselves. Or are you perpetrators? Pretty quick at jumping down my throat there.

GabriellaMontez · 02/02/2025 21:08

SerenStarEtoile · 02/02/2025 20:48

You can report anonymously to Crimestoppers, if you don’t want to use the PoliceUK HateCrime reporting format. Because hate crime is illegal.

And what crime has she committed?

Whotenanny · 02/02/2025 20:54

Report her to the police, really? 🙄 She's entitled to her opinion.