UK student facing trial for spreading pro-liberty propaganda

[Richard Hakluyt]

That wasn't my point though. My point was that, possibly, the media being full of stories of police incompetence is a good thing; as an absence of such stories can hardly be taken as good news. Or are there brilliant police forces elsewhere that are impossible to criticise?

Another positive point of view is that such things are only reported because they're the exception, not the rule. If it happened all the time, it wouldn't be in the news.

Or the vast majority of the population is sufficiently cowered to not step out of line, like Wuss (formerly 'viking') , that people actively exercising their 'rights' to free speech are a now vanishing small minority, hence the rarity of these stories.

Well we are voting for our police commissioners on thursday. My plan is to engage in e-mail correspondence with whoever gets the post in Lancashire whenever the local constabulary steps out of line. Which, to be fair, is pretty rare; though you do have to be careful if you are blind, as a slim white cane is easily mistaken for a katana.

[Viking]

Prosecuting a murderer with no risk of re-offending prevents no murders

Are there really that many prosecutions of dead murder suspects going on?

And even if we accept your stipulation that a murderer has no risk of re-offending, prosecuting him makes others less likely to follow suit.

OK, so getting the chalk wielding brat does have value over and above just this one situation.

[Eddie Teach]

OK, so getting the chalk wielding brat does have value over and above just this one situation.

Except that the chalk itself wasn't doing any damage, whether it's one guy or a hundred.

[Barrister]

Prosecuting a murderer with no risk of re-offending prevents no murders

Are there really that many prosecutions of dead murder suspects going on?

And even if we accept your stipulation that a murderer has no risk of re-offending, prosecuting him makes others less likely to follow suit.

I prosecuted a murderer who it was generally agreed would never commit another murder.  It's not terribly uncommon.  If you really, really hate, say, your spouse, then once your spouse is dead you have no reason to kill anyone else.

[Eddie Teach]

Who's to say he won't hate his next spouse? 

[Barrister]

Who's to say he won't hate his next spouse? 

It's usually a she in these cases.  And they've done studies.

[merithyn]

Who's to say he won't hate his next spouse? 

It's usually a she in these cases.  And they've done studies.

Drew Peterson

[crazy canuck]

He got told to stop. He carried on. He then got cautioned - i.e. don't do it again or we'll arrest you again. He did it again and got arrested. He is surprised.

Late to the thread, but gotta say if the police tried to stop someone from writing "Liberty" in chaulk on the sidewalk in this city that would be an issue of some note.  If the police officer offered the excuse for the arrest that the person didnt do as he was told the officer would likely be disciplined.

If you are interested in the limits of police power in restricting free speech in this country you might want to take a look at the Hughes report regarding the police intervention at the APEC summit many years ago.

[Count]

Another knobhead has been arrested for burning a poppy and posting it on facebook :

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2231660/Free-speech-row-man-ARRESTED-posting-image-burning-Poppy-Facebook-page-Remembrance-Sunday.html

This is much more egregious IMO. Really gross on the the part of the U.K.

[Gups]

It's a criminal offence  to draw on the pavement in this country. Maybe it shouln't be, and maybe it isn't in most countries,  but it is here. I can't see what the cop did wrong here.

You fuckers made me check the law without anyone paying me for it.


Section 132, Hoghways Act 1980

1)A person who, without either the consent of the highway authority for the highway in question or an authorisation given by or under an enactment or a reasonable excuse, paints or otherwise inscribes or affixes any picture, letter, sign or other mark upon the surface of a highway or upon any tree, structure or works on or in a highway is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding £100 or, in the case of a second or subsequent conviction under this subsection, to a fine not exceeding £200. .

[merithyn]

Where are you from so that I know not to bring my sidewalk chalk to its overly-authoritarian shores?

[crazy canuck]

It's a criminal offence  to draw on the pavement in this country. Maybe it shouln't be, and maybe it isn't in most countries,  but it is here. I can't see what the cop did wrong here.

You fuckers made me check the law without anyone paying me for it.


Section 132, Hoghways Act 1980

1)A person who, without either the consent of the highway authority for the highway in question or an authorisation given by or under an enactment or a reasonable excuse, paints or otherwise inscribes or affixes any picture, letter, sign or other mark upon the surface of a highway or upon any tree, structure or works on or in a highway is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding £100 or, in the case of a second or subsequent conviction under this subsection, to a fine not exceeding £200. .

Stuff and nonsense.

It is also illegal to walk in a laneway or otherwise obstruct traffic.  But people do when they are protesting.  Again, look at the Hughes report.  Silly laws like that are trumped in a democratic society when Freedom of Speech is engaged.

[Gups]

Most potest marches have a licence. And enforcement is discretionary.

And I'm fucked if I'm looking at the Hughes report, whatever that is.

Other things you can't write on pavements in the UK in chalk or anything else:

"No Parking"
"Free parking"
"Kill the Jews"
"Go to work on an egg"
"Big hairy cock"

I bet such inscriptions are discouraged in many countries.

[mongers]

Or the vast majority of the population is sufficiently cowered to not step out of line, like Wuss (formerly 'viking') , that people actively exercising their 'rights' to free speech are a now vanishing small minority, hence the rarity of these stories.

I know. Look at the internet. Nobody dares say anything.

So you're happy that 'this' should replace the former ?

[mongers]

That wasn't my point though. My point was that, possibly, the media being full of stories of police incompetence is a good thing; as an absence of such stories can hardly be taken as good news. Or are there brilliant police forces elsewhere that are impossible to criticise?

Another positive point of view is that such things are only reported because they're the exception, not the rule. If it happened all the time, it wouldn't be in the news.

Or the vast majority of the population is sufficiently cowered to not step out of line, like Wuss (formerly 'viking') , that people actively exercising their 'rights' to free speech are a now vanishing small minority, hence the rarity of these stories.

Well we are voting for our police commissioners on thursday. My plan is to engage in e-mail correspondence with whoever gets the post in Lancashire whenever the local constabulary steps out of line. Which, to be fair, is pretty rare; though you do have to be careful if you are blind, as a slim white cane is easily mistaken for a katana.

Good plan, that's supposing they can manage to elect someone and keep him in post, without being brought low for a 45 year old conviction for swiping 1'6" worth of pick'n'mix from Woolies.