Harry Miller My fight against the police

[BovaryX]

Harry Miller has written a brilliant article in the Spectator about his ordeal at the hands of the police. It is a passionate defense of freedom of speech and he highlights the profound problem at the core of his case; that criminalizing people for an expressed belief in biological reality is extraordinary behaviour for an advanced Western democracy in the 21st century. As he correctly states, the judge in his summation was explicitly aware of the grim historical resonances:

It is hard to imagine a more damning choice of words than those used by Mr Justice Knowles, who, in considering his judgement, had clearly dusted down his copies of On Liberty and Nineteen Eighty-Four. In describing the actions of Humberside police, he drew from not one, but three of the most oppressive totalitarian regimes in modern history. 'In Great Britain, we have never had a Cheka, a Stasi or a Gestapo'

And what's his criminal record for if he's never been arrested or charged with an offence?

From the article, Mr Miller's comments were recorded by Humberside Police as a "non-crime hate incident". This would have shown up on his DBS enhanced check.

Here's the relevant paragraph:

"Humberside’s decision to turn up at my office and record my comments online as a ‘non-crime hate incident’ were, they said, a ‘necessary intervention’ designed to prevent my behaviour escalating to criminality. In the lengthy correspondence between our lawyers, the only example of potential escalation they could think of was the murder of Stephen Lawrence."

This is significant as a recent article in the Telegraph shows. It reported that
"Police have recorded nearly 120,000 “non-crime” hate incidents and may have stopped those accused from getting jobs".

did Humberside police take him to court, or did he take them to court to contest the recording of a "non crime hate incident?

Harry Miller took the case to the High Court by way of judicial review.

Given the chilling way in which he was treated and the deadening effect such an entry on any DBS check would have had on him, he was really left with no choice. I, for one, am very glad he did.

Meanwhile, it begs the question. While the police are busily forging ahead with investigating and recording 120,000 "non crime hate incidents" whenever anyone dares to exercise free speech within the law, who is actually available to patrol the streets or investigate knife crime, rape, burglaries...

Meanwhile, it begs the question. While the police are busily forging ahead with investigating and recording 120,000 "non crime hate incidents" whenever anyone dares to exercise free speech within the law, who is actually available to patrol the streets or investigate knife crime, rape, burglaries

Great post. Here's a link to the Telegraph article.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/02/14/police-record-120000-non-crime-incidents-may-stop-accused-getting/

Well Mrs B seems a bit aerated

Wow. That piece is .... somewhat unusual .
What is it that the wonderful Maya Angelou said: When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time
Methinks the learned judge had it spot on..

I don’t think the editor of the judicial cat blog is very good at editing, the ‘Mrs B’ thing is virtually unreadable!

Unlike Harry’s piece in the Speccie, which is excellent.

Some weird semantic merailing on this thread though.

Harry is great and as an ex-copper it is hard for the police to dismiss him, I bet there are plenty of serving officiers cheering him kn as they are tired of this bullshit.

Strewth that thing by Mrs B. Little wonder the judge said they were on the outer margins of rationality. A load of old hogwash.

Although, I must say, I did particularly like the 'common, garden bully'. Conjured up images of Harry calling the daffodils names.

The judicial cat article sounds like sour grapes to me. That and unable to see the alternative opinion. Also, no evidence to support some of the statements that are presented as fact.

The Grimsby article mentioned the cost of the trial. Does Harry need any diggers?

Wasn’t Harry awarded costs?

I think so, but I'm not sure. Besides, what happens if the police appeal?

You think they’ll appeal? 😄

There would be a justifiable outcry if the police spent taxpayer money on appealing.

Mrs B seems to be very au fait with procedure. They say they intend to raise the matter with the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office.

You think they’ll appeal?

Did you think they would "check his thinking"?

Do the police's actions make any sense thus far?

Mrs B's diatribe makes it all too clear why the Judge wrote that her complaint was "at the outer margin of rationality". It's quite entertaining in its own way.

Interesting that the interviewer includes
ALL THOSE CAPITALS. It's not what you'd normally do when writing up an interview. I'm left wondering if Stephanie Hayden added them or if it wasn't actually an interview at all, but was generated by Mrs B.