To not want blasphemy laws in the UK?

[Blueybanditbingochilli]

https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/24516089.sutton-man-61-chanted-who-f-allah-jailed/

Thug sentenced for violent disorder and threatening police, all good.

But the chanting? Maybe I’ve got the wrong end of the stick but I thought criticising religion, even crudely, is permitted in the UK and not a crime so long as it doesn’t stray into harassment or incitement of another crime.

Labour are allegedly considering new legislation around the extent to which people can criticise Islam.

AIBU to think people should have the right to criticise religion (even crudely), and that we should not revert to having blasphemy laws in the UK? I apply this to all religions, including my own, and not just Islam.

Your first line is utter nonsense.

MrsSkylerWhite

MrsSkylerWhite , yep and all involve deities that say "love me best"!!

Depends where you live.

Blasphemy against Christianity has been legal in England and Wales for an amazing 16 years.

In Scotland, blasphemy laws have JUST been abolished this year.

They still exist in Northern Ireland.

I'll post this again, shall I?

I've seen a video of that guy, and I didn't see him commit a single violent or threatening act. From his body language he didn't even appear to be shouting at anyone.

IIRC he was mostly wandering around looking at what was going on, went over to talk to one of the policemen at one point and all of a sudden they grabbed him.

That is the chilling bit, and it makes me wonder how many of these charges are actually real.

Why did he plead guilty, then?

OK, you’ve gone full-on fascist apologist now. I’m out.

Because he was probably told that he will rot in the cells for 2 years waiting for a crown court date (no bail for this lot, remember), after which he may still get found guilty and get sentenced to even more time.

OR he could cut his losses, plead guilty, and guarantee that he "only" has to do 2 years or whatever he ended up with.

If any of these people had the money for a decent lawyer, this wouldn't be happening.

It's such utter nonsense that most people on this thread have interpreted what you said in the same way.

Either you have issues with communication or you are rowing back from what you said and fully intended to mean.

Either way it's not 'utter nonsense' because multiple readers all understand your post in that way. Perhaps you should reflect on how you are coming across, what your intentions seem to be to others and to what extent other people think your disclaimers are thoroughly disengenous.

I’ve clarified it was sloppy wording. You can see I didn’t think he was ‘convicted of chanting’ by reading my clearly worded OP. You’re seizing on this now for advantage.

Me telling you that I've seen a video which shows no obvious wrongdoing by someone you don't know is somehow apologising for fascism.

You must be fucking joking.

Where is the video? I saw some stills in which he did look very aggressive.

The clearly worded OP which clearly implies he was convicted for chanting. "Thug sentenced for violence, all good. But the chanting?".

Again, your OP also insinuates the exact same thing - that he was convicted for chanting. It was NOT a clearly worded OP.

Unless it was, and you're just trying to backtrack now like someone else suggested.

Can you link to the video?

There are others but I can only find this one atm:

https://x.com/Politic56721677/status/1824072939307720956

The police, witnesses, jury and judge saw the evidence you didn't.

I can't believe you're all "He didn't do nuthin cos I didn't see it on a video on the internet".🙈

Was it sloppy wording or was it you trying to equate this man's conviction with your imagined blasphemy laws that don't exist?🤔

Neither, he wasn't critising Islam as far as I'm aware?

He is a victim of religious extremism however, and in this case the extremists are Muslim, but Muslims don't hold a monopoly on this. Just look at Christian led anti-abortion behaviour in the states or LGBT violence and persecution in Uganda.

You, however, seem to be inferring that extremism is an inherently Islamic trait so I'd put you between the two categories. You're reluctant to openly state your issues but from what you're willing to say it looks like they're based on false stereotypes.

Anyone can say they have seen a video of anything. What you (claim) to have seen is not necessarily what the police and the judges had as actual testimony and evidence. And his lawyer/family/representatives of course had the chance to dispute the evidence. So if he had video proof why would he not have relied on it?

With this logic in mind, OP, do you.think it's okay for anti-abortion protesters to chant "Fucking murderers" as long as they're not just outside a clinic? Is over the road far enough to constitute harassment in your eyes?!
How far is far enough to disseminate hate?

Exactly. That was the entire premise of the thread. To shit stir concerns about blasphemy and free speech.

There was no jury nor calling of witnesses because they got him to plead guilty before going to a proper trial. It isn't hard to scare people into that who aren't very savvy about the law and their rights, and this is my point.

I linked a video further up. Feel free to watch it and then tell me if he has the demeanor of someone being violent.

Are you telling me that you believe our justice system is 100% good all of the time and would never ever ever do anything shady to meet a political agenda?

Oh gosh, how terrible. He ignored a cordon 😂