just beacuse others are not in jail it dont make it right.

That's a good point, I think because people are still pretty emotional about Muamba, so it makes it seems that what he's doing is something much worse than it is.

You guys do realise that if he said this stuff in public to someone, he would be arrested?


Why should it be different if he does it from the safety of the Internet. Not so big an Internet gangster now I am pretty sure.

He may just get a slap on the wrist, but it will serve for those who think this kind of thing is acceptable.

because it's impossible to be violent online, that's the difference, if it happened in real life, there would be a real possibility of violence, there is no possibility of violence online.

he was isolated in his home safe and sound, as was the person he was arguing with, both were in no threat of violence.

wrong internet bully can make someone take their own life and it has.

So by your logic, you should not be punished for being a cowardly racist who is hiding behind a computer, however if you at least showed the slightest bit of guts to be real and say it in public, you should...............Hmm okay, there is no difference for me.

well after reading the actual tweets, i don't believe he did anything criminal.

he was disgusting, and racist, and vile to every sensibility, but criminal? no.

It's not a crime to be racist. There is no law against being a racist. There are laws against discrimination and ACTIONS against people because of racism, but it is not a CRIME to be a racist.

Like i said before, if it was a crime to just say something prejudice, then yur saying that every teenager that's ever said "that's gay" on youtube should be put in jail too. Do you think every teenager that's said something homophobic should be put in jail??

Hmm while I don't want to just loudly proclaim "free speech" - that sort of legitimises this sort of thing and is often used by people who try and excuse racism - this sort of thing is a massive grey area. Shaun mentioned how prevalent stuff like this is online and it's true if you just look at a site like sickipedia, and also who gets to decide where the line is drawn in any case? Why are the BNP and other parties who are actually more extreme than that (look up the British Peoples Party) allowed to stir up racial hatred in a far more dangerous way when this idiot gets arrested for some stupid, and yes disgusting, comments on Twitter. I don't like this sort of thing to be defended but I don't really see how you can realistically put limits on freedom of speech and allow the state the right to be the ones to have the power to say what's right/what isn't, what's acceptable/what isn't, what's "hate speech" and what isn't. It's a slippery slope when you start to criminalise words and it isn't something I'm comfortable with

As stated above, the screenshot is some of his tweets. Apparently, "police forces throughout the UK regularly take action against those who use Twitter to express racially offensive remarks.

The practice is so common that none feel the need to issue a public statement indicating it has happened."

You have to look at it proportionatly alex.
As far as we know he has only been questioned, not charged so if he has broken any law it will be reported.

Criminalizing words is never okay in my book. There was no violence, there was no person directly harmed.

Just because you are OFFENDED by what he said, does not make him a CRIMINAL.

He's being scapegoated imo. They can demonize this one individual to make it look like they are doing something, meanwhile the larger issue of racism in soccer get's to skate by underneath, and the League doesn't have to take any responsibility for the LARGER issue of racism at matches.

But let me guess, you aren't racist at all right?

I agree with BIB, tbh.

There is no such thing as freedom speech.

If I said I was going to kill the president of the United States of America. Best believe the FBI would come after my ass.

And so how do you figure out where to draw the line between what makes someone a criminal and what doesn't?

That is a threat. i don't see any threats in these tweets...

well if THAT is true it should be concerning to every UK citizen. That people are routinely being arrested for their TWEETS and no one knows about it???

That doesn't worry you?

Words that incites hate.

Then there is no such thing as FREEDOM OF SPEECH. If saying those words gets you arrested.

In what way should every citizen in the UK be concerned? I am sure the vast majority of people would not post such offensive and inappropriate matter.

It shouldn't worry you if you are not racist.

End

If no one knew about it then he wouldn't have gotten arrested.

wrong, freedom of speech is like every other freedom, your freedoms end when they impose on someone elses freedoms.

Threatening someone's safety obviously imposes on their rights.

These tweets don't impose on anyone else's rights, everyone has a right to use their freedom of speech to tell him what a racist prick he is.