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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

Linda Bellos arrested **Title edited by MNHQ to make clear that she was in fact 'interviewed under caution'**

354 replies

Terfragette69 · 01/05/2018 16:03

So it would appear that Linda has been arrested and interviewed for saying she would protect herself if the tra's attacked.... What the actual fuck?? This is getting ridiculous we need to act!

OP posts:
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6
Irishfeminist · 01/05/2018 19:06

I have repeatedly asked Etsy to remove "Terf Stomper" badges from their website. Would it now be ok to report the UK-based seller to the police, after what's happened to Posie Parker and Linda Bellos?

PigeonStreet1 · 01/05/2018 19:07

Why is this a priority to investigate when police forces are explicitly stating they don't have the numbers of police officers to investigate various types of crime? Seriously?

Because politicians decide what the policing priorities are. Take a straw poll of most rank and file officers and you'd find very different ones

Ellenripleysalienbaby · 01/05/2018 19:09

The video that is doing the rounds on twitter and it is very obviously heavily edited. How do the police have time to investigate something that is so obviously out of context? She could have been talking about anything!

PigeonStreet1 · 01/05/2018 19:09

I have repeatedly asked Etsy to remove "Terf Stomper" badges from their website. Would it now be ok to report the UK-based seller to the police, after what's happened to Posie Parker and Linda Bellos?

You could try, but given that being a feminist isn't a protected characteristic in criminal law you wouldn't get anywhere.

AssassinatedBeauty · 01/05/2018 19:11

Right, so you accept it's a political decision to investigate women for potential hate crimes rather than investigated other types of reported crime. Personally I find that disturbing.

Ellenripleysalienbaby · 01/05/2018 19:11

I have repeatedly asked Etsy to remove "Terf Stomper" badges from their website. Would it now be ok to report the UK-based seller to the police, after what's happened to Posie Parker and Linda Bellos?

Yes absolutely. And if you get nowhere then we all know exactly what is going on here.

Icantreachthepretzels · 01/05/2018 19:12

Why would they know it's edited? Why would they know there was a live stream?

Because they are the police and it is their job to, you know, investigate things - like what the original source for a video they've been sent as 'evidence' is.

Which is the quicker/ cheaper option - one PC looking into a video online and tracking where it came from (I do believe they even have specialists for this sort of thing - not that this case would require one) or arranging an interview with a member of the public, having them come in and actually taking the time to interview them under caution?

Christ, you have low expectations of the people who are meant to defend and uphold our laws without fear or favour.

AssassinatedBeauty · 01/05/2018 19:12

Bloody hell, @PigeonStreet1 could you sound any more pleased about the lack of ability to do anything about material that promotes violence towards women?

DietCoke87 · 01/05/2018 19:16

Why would they know it's edited? Why would they know there was a live stream?

Surely it's cheaper to do a quick internet search and find the whole video than interview someone in person and complete all the paperwork needed to ensure said person is arrested if they try to leave the country.

OlennasWimple · 01/05/2018 19:17

Fuck

#IStandWithLinda

JessicaJonesJacket · 01/05/2018 19:18

Pigeon rephrase your question slightly - when I worked with a DV charity how many women were let down by the police? how many of my friends and relatives in the police force and the legal system have complained about how women's complaints are addressed? Many. One of them even wrote a book about it that is a required text in law schools across the country.
So now we've established there are many women on MN and on this thread who know about policing and the legal system I know I know we're supposed to talk about prams and makeup why not spend your time researching DV statistics rather than trolling?

Ereshkigal · 01/05/2018 19:18

It's incitement of violence. Surely that applies to anyone?

None.

I'm sure even you know that's bullshit. What about all the rapes you guys "no crime?"

Ellenripleysalienbaby · 01/05/2018 19:22

You could try, but given that being a feminist isn't a protected characteristic in criminal law you wouldn't get anywhere.

So saying that you would defend yourself if someone punched you in the face (as had happened a few days previously) is totally worthy of a police investigation.

But don't bother going to the police about someone who is making badges or singing songs advocating 'stomping' or giving a 'brick in the teeth' to a woman who has a different opinion.

Icantreachthepretzels · 01/05/2018 19:22

You could try, but given that being a feminist isn't a protected characteristic in criminal law you wouldn't get anywhere.

Sex is a protected characteristic though. If evidence could be gathered that 'terf' is a gendered slur aimed at women (wouldn't be hard) then a 'terf stomper' badge could be viewed as incitement to violence against women - in law as well as in reality. Or at least, someone with the time and the money could make a case for it - it has just as much legal merit as the ridiculous treatment of Posie Parker and Linda Bellos. And much much more actual merit.

And as Ereshkigal says - incitement to violence of any sort can be investigated by the police.

JessicaJonesJacket · 01/05/2018 19:24

As I said on the other thread, I hope Matthew Wright explains the incident on every interview he undertakes. He has a massive fan base and I imagine lots of talk and news shows will be booking him to chat about his decision.

PigeonStreet1 · 01/05/2018 19:25

Because they are the police and it is their job to, you know, investigate things - like what the original source for a video they've been sent as 'evidence' is.

And an interview is part of the process of that investigation.

Bloody hell, @PigeonStreet1 could you sound any more pleased about the lack of ability to do anything about material that promotes violence towards women?

Given that the written word isn't always the best way to gauge tone, I'll apologise if it comes across that way.

NannyOggsKnickers · 01/05/2018 19:26

Crumpet alert!

NannyOggsKnickers · 01/05/2018 19:26

Sorry, I meant jam.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 01/05/2018 19:28

I think I'm going to stay on the fence until we know what actually happened.

It's perfectly possible that the police knew it was a monumental waste of time, but they felt they had to put on a show for appearances sake.

Does rather beg the question who / how many reported Bellos though.

RaininSummer · 01/05/2018 19:29

Our so called law enforcers seem very biased and illogical. I stand with Linda.

PigeonStreet1 · 01/05/2018 19:30

Sex is a protected characteristic though

Not in criminal law.

If evidence could be gathered that 'terf' is a gendered slur aimed at women (wouldn't be hard) then a 'terf stomper' badge could be viewed as incitement to violence against women - in law as well as in reality.

There's no such law.

BeyondParody · 01/05/2018 19:31

I am intrigued about who reported.

I reckon of all the people who could potentially claim they felt threatened, Tara wolf would be top of the list. As she was specifically talking about when Tara assaulted Maria

ChattyLion · 01/05/2018 19:33

Nonsense on stilts. Solidarity with Linda Flowers sorry that you had to go through this, if you read this.

Ereshkigal · 01/05/2018 19:33

What has happened with Matthew Wright?

Icantreachthepretzels · 01/05/2018 19:35

And an interview is part of the process of that investigation.

Only if deemed necessary by the police themselves. They can look at the evidence and just say there's nothing they can do/ no crime.

However that still doesn't explain why you think the police shouldn't know/ bother to find out the source of their evidence before they start to pull citizens in off the streets for questioning.

A simple web search would have brought up the full live stream... they would have seen there was no threat - that her words had been edited and context removed (on purpose) and they could have ended it there. Or cautioned the person who sent the 'evidence' for wasting their time.

Instead they chose to pull in a middle aged, BAME, lesbian, feminist for a pointless, but no doubt distressing to her, round of questioning - about words they could have seen for themselves if they had bothered to look.
And you are defending this incompetence/ waste of tax payers money/ harassment of a woman. How? Why?

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