Peter Tatchell Arrested - Outrageous

[Everanewbie]

AIBU to be outraged my Peter Tatchell's latest arrest?

For those who have not heard, the famous campaigner attended a recent Gaza protest. He held a placard that demanded Israel stop the genocide, and that Hamas are a shameful, and reiterated their official terrorist status for the torture an execution of a Palestinian man that attended an anti-Hamas demonstration in Gaza. He was arrested on the basis of inciting racial and religious hatred. The police have since apologised indicating that they believed him to be part of a counter-protest. He spent 5 hours in a cell.

That PT had a minor inconvenience that didn't last half a day, in light of his previous behaviour and support, nah!

But you arrest them for the wicked act, not make stuff up and punish them. In any case, the subtext here is that someone can just label someone wicked. Who gets to do that? Who gets to decide that the normal rule of law no longer applies to them? What if that person has different views to you? The arrest threshold is lowered? Is that not worrying?

If memory serves me he was a supporter of the ideology of women and men being recorded on the police system and subjected to harrassement and arrest for noncrimes hate crimes ( that is having and expressing an ¹lawful opinion that was different to his ideology )

So is it a shame if swings and roundabouts happen when you encourage the police to make up their own version of the law? 💅

If he wants proper law and order to be applied without bias he needs to recognise he and his "side" were happy for the police to over reach when it allied with his ideology.

And "baseless" he was arrested in public so I am guessing the arresting officer had a reason for the act (even if the seniors/ CPS did not agree).

No - me neither. Tatchell is that man who reported that some children experienced “great joy” when having sex with adults - I.e. paedophilia is good, actually.

He has been hiding in plain sight for years

Vile scum who says there are 'minor-attracted people'. Delighted he is inconvenienced for a short period of time.

Well the police apologised

Have you got a photo of this placard OP?

snap

The man's a prick, Op, most people therefore can't see past his problematic and widely reported views concerning the rape of children.

A good act or attention seeking for personal gain. Some activists like PT know the value of an arrest wrongful or not

I’ve no sympathy whatsoever for that man.

Thanks for your post. If he has promoted non-crime hate incidents then there is an element of poetic justice being a victim of police overreach/ineptitude/two tier policing. But it doesn't change the fact that in the instance, the conduct of his arrest has worrying implications.

So conflicted.

Appalled that they arrest people for protesting the Gaza Genocide.

But on the other hand, behind bars is where PT should be...so on balance, I'm alright with it.

I can't get upset about it. The man's an absolute prick.

I agree that recent arrests over what are arguably free speech issues are concerning. I'll always be concerned that our rights to freedom of expression are protected. And yes, that goes for the most odious people (and views I'd personally disagree very strongly with). Freedom of speech and expression has to count for everyone, not just those we agree with.

I'll be honest, though, I do find it hard to muster outrage over this. PT has been a professional protestor/activist for many, many years. He's been arrested many times. The police have been put in some very difficult situations where they are surrounded by people making inflammatory and possibly illegal remarks/threats/speeches.

The dislike of Peter Tatchell is so predictable.

I am old enough to remember the absolutely notorious Bermondsey election in 1983 where he was shamefully dragged day and night by the media and by his opponents on the basis of his sexuality (one of whom, Simon Hughes, was actually a closeted gay man himself) It was a dreadful chapter and the fact that Tatchell got through it at all is bloody impressive.

I also like that he sticks to his guns re human rights abuses and will call out both the genocidal Israeli government and the appalling Hamas.

He was arrested based on the secondary message on his placard that proscribed terrorist organisation should stop executing political opponents.

Quite frankly I, and it seems none of the other posters, care what happens to him.

You are obviously very young to have never heard of him and his horrible opinions before.

This.

I initially voted YANBU but now reading other posters have changed my vote to YABU. In view of his past, in my opinion I think his protest was performative to gain him some attention so YABU.

Mumsnet, a website for mothers, is not keen on a paedophile sympathiser. Earth shattering.

They should have forgotten where they’d put the key…he’s vile.

He was arrested for being an odious twat, so the mistake the police made was letting him go. His placard and the comments he's made make it clear his purpose at the protest was to goad other protesters into reacting. They reacted, he was arrested, he got what he wanted.

What did the placard actually say OP?