AIBU to think this man should have got a prison sentence for assault with a knife against someone who offended his religion?

[SinisterBumFacedCat]

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8xr12yx5l4o.am

He attacked a man for burning a Quran. He went at him with a blade, kicked him to the ground and repeatedly spat on him. A cowardly deliveroo rider got in a few kicks whilst he was on the floor.

The guy who burned the Quran is now in hiding due to death threats. The attacker walked free from court. There is a full video of the attack online, he is clearly a very violent person. The judge let him off because he has previous good character and was provoked into violence.

Isn’t this sending the message that actual physical violence and assault with a bladed weapon is allowed if you’re offended by something?

YABU - he shouldn’t be in prison
YANBU - he should be in prison

Two tier justice

Some people allege that there is no such thing as two tier justice, despite this sort of example.

Burning a Quran like that was a monumentally stupid and provocative thing to do - but not illegal (AFAIK?). But slashing someone with a knife? The two things are miles apart and someone who is capable of that belongs in jail.

That video was shocking. I can’t believe he hasn’t been imprisoned. He’s a danger to society. No book is above burning/pulping/whatever.

Personally I'd automatically jail anyone caught with a knife, let alone using one.

And the same for guns.

5 years, non negotiable sounds about right ?

This country is allegedly about tolerance. Unfortunately,to uphold that you must be intolerant of intolerance. It's a massive contradiction, but, with these examples, it shows it doesn't work.

Prison should be a minimum for that kind of reaction.

Maybe it's #bekind to the right sort of people who wield weapons in public ?

Fuck that. I like my intestines inside, thank you very much.

Provoked into violence is a very very dangerous grounds for excusing a knife attack.

We simply cannot allow violence as a response to book burning.

Isn't the classic wife beaters whine

"Look what you made me do ?"

I vote YANBU because he should definitely have gone to prison.
But the people saying this is evidence of 2tier justice ABU.

We do have a serious problem in the UK where even very violent attacks aren't always seen as mailable offences. Especially when the police or judges think it's been "provoked". Worse than that there is an assumption that the angrier someone is the more worthwhile their cause. It lets bullies dominate discourse at the expense of the reasonable, and encourages the most extreme voices. In DV especially there has been a lot of work to remove the idea of "she was asking for it" being a legitimate defence. But lots of judges and juries still think like that. It's a problem. And it's not just "boys will be boys"
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-41389520

Also
EDL member John Claydon, 46, pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm after breaking through police lines and repeatedly punching a counter protester in the face after he was on the.ground. no prison despite prior convictions.
https://far-rightcriminals.com/category/actual-bodily-harm/

For balance: Labour MP https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/mike-amesbury-mp-walks-free-after-appealing-sentence-for-assault-b9f2h7drt

https://forrestwilliamssolicitors.com/news/common-assault-first-offence/
https://forrestwilliamssolicitors.com/news/domestic-violence-first-offence/

Knife attack should mean jail. Quran burning twat should be strongly spoken to. And yes, I would say the same to anyone publicly burning the holy book of any faith. It's pathetic, intolerant and rude.

Quran burning twat should be strongly spoken to.

For what, and by whom ?

Should people crossing the road (also not illegal) be strongly spoken to ?

We don't have a blasphemy law in the UK. People should be able to criticise any religion.

Yes agreed. The first man, whilst doing something distasteful I don’t think is in any way a crime and the second man absolutely was a crime. A crime with clear intent. The whole thing is worrying as much as it is baffling

It is pathetic, intolerant and rude , IMO, but that doesn’t make it illegal or a matter for the state, or grounds for censorship or having blasphemy laws.

Maybe starting fires in a public place is an offence?

If his nearest and dearest want to tell him he is a knob, fair dos.

I presume it was his own book to burn?

Two tier Keir

The book burner was also charged and found guilty in July of a "religiously aggravated public order offence" and fined

www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce9v4e0z9r8o

As for the knife wielder, as I understand it from reports having been offended initially he went into his accomodation, found the bread knife, then came back out swinging....I'd say he had the chance to disengage and calm down rather than go out a second time, so yes, I think his sentence is lenient.

Yes. I posted an example of an Oxford medical student who walked free but this is worse because in addition to being a weak response to a violent attack, it's also basically saying if you are offended you aren't as responsible.

I have seen certain sections of the internet suggest the conflation of actual harm and hurt feelings is the doings of feminism. But actually it's something that serves (bad) men more since they are more likely to respond to offence with physical aggression. From "my teacher was a bitch so I had to throw the chair" to "woman rejects man. Gets what's coming to her" all the way up to this. It's hard being a teenage boy/young man and controlling your emotions for example. The answer isn't to just lash out all the time..it's hard seeing someone attacking your faith. Its unacceptable to physically attack them. But his own disordered thinking will have been justified by the judges own words.

Not really - as this very thread shows. You should have posted earlier to avoid looking a bit silly.

Well next time a woman does that, she'll get let off too.

RTFT.

How easily people believe this trite misinformation.

Sadly knife welders of all sexes and races are walking free from our courts.

We will see...

I mean - I’m not surprised with what’s happening in the UK now - are you?

For being unnecessarily rude. Book burning is never about freedom. It's like defacing buildings with graffiti. Utterly shitty behaviour, no matter who is doing it or why. Want to burn a Quran or Bible or Torah? Build a bonfire in your back garden and have at it.

That's the sort of strongly spoken to I mean. Knife guy should absolutely have been jailed.