Riots broke out in Great Britain after a British citizen born in Wales attacked a vacation dance class of little girls. Three died, and another 10 people were seriously wounded.
Someone on social media tried to connect the killer with the Muslim immigrant community. It was misinformation that led to riots across the UK, with dozens hurt and several police officers injured.
The response of politicians should have been an effort to lower the temperature and put rioters in jail. Instead, the British authorities have jailed people for presumed “hate speech” online. And they are begging citizens not to anger the Muslim community lest the violence escalate.
This is so embarrassing. Could it be any more obvious who calls the shots? pic.twitter.com/snFUAaxp7b
— David Vance (@DVATW) August 7, 2024
As for ordinary Brits, the authorities have ways to deal with haters. This woman tried to be nice to the bobbies. It didn’t work.
During the Harehills riots the lady offered the police tea & ice lollies. She was then arrested for saying 16 years of immigration had ruined the area.
She describes the dehumanisation of her overnight custody.
The policeman said they had to charge her with something. pic.twitter.com/Hhlhr2RMAz
— David Atherton (@DaveAtherton20) August 8, 2024
How much longer can we resist the totalitarian urges that have overwhelmed Great Britain?
JUST IN – UK authorities begin to arrest citizens for social media posts “containing inaccurate information.”pic.twitter.com/Mc4QYk5D3V
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) August 8, 2024
Here’s a man who was given two years in jail for “gesticulating and shouting” at police officers.
Steven Mailen is the first person to be sentenced in Teesside for his involvement in the violent disorder in Hartlepool on Wednesday 31st July. Judge Laird jailed him for 26 months. The 53-year-old was constantly in the face of officers gesticulating and shouting at them. pic.twitter.com/tDoL9jb0Mm
— Cleveland Police (@ClevelandPolice) August 8, 2024
Like most totalitarian governments, the British Labor government of Keir Starmer has devised a catchy saying to keep the internet clean and pure: “Think before you post.”
Think before you post. https://t.co/sgqCErb4AC
— GOV.UK (@GOVUK) August 8, 2024
Naturally, the liberty-loving posters on X had a lot to say about that.
1776 is looking better by the day 🇺🇸
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) August 8, 2024
Think before you become North Korea.
— Catturd ™ (@catturd2) August 8, 2024
Or what? You going to arrest us all the way in America? 😂🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/VeFqLHMnho
— Liberacrat Media™️ (@Liberacrat) August 8, 2024
And the ultimate question that the English should be asking but aren’t:
Who gets to decide what counts as hate speech?
— Possum Reviews (@ReviewsPossum) August 9, 2024
The U.S. First Amendment says that the government does not get to decide that question. Ordinary people may try to block speech they disagree with. Social media companies are within their rights to ban speech of which they do not approve.
But what the UK government is doing is no different than North Korea, Communist China, or any other oppressive police state that seeks to regulate what people say and what they think.
I’d like to say it could never happen here, but a recent poll by FIRE shows that 53% of Americans believe the First Amendment “goes too far in the rights it guarantees.” Once you start putting unnecessary and illegal limits on free speech, you end up going to jail for “Facebook crimes” or worse.
