"Being offensive is an offence"

[hallouminatus]

AIBU to find this image offensive?

It seems uncontrollable, anyone can say they’re offended about anything.

Who decides what a reasonable amount of offence is?

What's offensive about it?

Well, being ‘offensive’ by criticising someone’s sexual orientation or race can be offence.

@RunningFromInsanity

Well, being ‘offensive’ by criticising someone’s sexual orientation or race can be offence.

That’s a widely accepted protected characteristic but is that what the poster is referring to?

Everyone has every right to be offended but it doesn’t mean they’re right to be

@RunningFromInsanity

Well, being ‘offensive’ by criticising someone’s sexual orientation or race can be offence.

Actually it's not. You can criticise away as long as it doesn't resolve into threats etc.

MERSEYSIDE POLICE HAVE ISSUES A STATEMENT FOLLOWING This FYI

That’s a widely accepted protected characteristic but is that what the poster is referring to?

Well it's hard to tell without being able to read the writing in the photo, but the huge rainbow flag is a bit of a clue.

What in the image offends you OP?

We all know that poster is directed to women who refuse to go along with gender ideology.

It implies that "being offensive", i.e. causing somebody to feel offended (which is very subjective) amounts to a criminal offence, specifically a hate crime.

This is a lie.

I can't read the stuff on there other than the headline.

The people in the picture seem to be doing their best to look nasty and intimidating.

Not sure what the flip is going on here?

Whatsnewpussyhat
We all know that poster is directed to women who refuse to go along with gender ideology.

This.

You could claim to be offended by someone's clothes, or a mess in their front garden - are these now criminal offences? Of course not, but that's what such simple, sweeping statements suggest.

The text of the poster reads:

BEING OFFENSIVE IS AN OFFENCE
Merseyside Police stand with and support
the LGBTQI+ community, we will not
tolerate Hate Crime on any level

Come and speak to #TeamBeb

Hate crime is hate crime. It's criminal and has a legal definition.

Being offensive or not isn't really the question. Being offensive isn't illegal. Hate crime is.

@ThereIsNoSuchThingAsRoadTax

That’s a widely accepted protected characteristic but is that what the poster is referring to?

Well it's hard to tell without being able to read the writing in the photo, but the huge rainbow flag is a bit of a clue.

Oops, I see that absolutely everywhere at the minute and don’t immediately relate the image to the context of what’s being discussed.

Thought Police looking for thoughtcriminals.

As women we really need to be very afraid of this.

Idiotic. Being offensive is not an offence, if the police themselves don't know that we're all in trouble.

Freedom of speech is dead, yes.

It’s a very silly tagline that probably needs looking at.

It refers to hate crime against the LGBT community which is obviously illegal and morally repugnant rather than “offensive”.

Offence is subjective and as Mr Gervais said is taken, not given, and to be offended does not mean you are right.

I’m not offended by this I just think it’s a stupid and misleading way to get their point across.

I can't read the small writing underneath but find the image alarming - the masks, the stance of the men (esp. the one who's holding onto a long wooden baton), the colours...it's nasty.

But hate crime should be just that. An ACTUAL crime motivated by hate.

Now it's twisted to mean hurting someone's feelings and is entirely subjective, which is absurd.

I guess the issue is the very thin line between being ‘offensive’ about someone’s sexual orientation/gender choice and it becoming a hate crime.

Freedom of speech v hate crime

Men are afraid women will laugh at them.......

Just 5 years for strangling your wife when you're a bit stressed.

Thanks for putting up the full text OP, it puts the big statement into context. Hate crimes should not be tolerated, YABU.