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Originally Posted by MTVN
Guess you missed my edit, what about when the EDL march through a heavily populated Muslim area calling for no more Mosques and carrying signs saying "Ban the Burkha"? Surely that is unnecessarily increasing the offence that people are inevitably going to feel. There was also that case in America where some pastor was planning to burn the Qur'an, I dont think he went through with it but as far as I know there wasnt going to be legal action taken against him. I know we have incitement laws but I still dont agree with making people criminals because others are offended at the message they are promoting. It's a bit odd that one of the protestors has now been fined considering they were staging an authorised demonstration which was even given a police guard.
I know my position on this isnt exactly a popular one, but I do believe that freedom of expression is absolute and shouldnt be subject to limitations and restrictions. Such behaviour should be condemned, discredited and not be given a platform but I wouldnt have it made illegal
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First off the pastor is a US citizen he lives in the US that means he is subject to US laws not UK laws. If he had gone ahead with his threat he may or may not have been prosecuted, but it wouldn't have been under UK law.
If it had been a UK citizen, given the same circumstances he would probably have been warned not to carry out his threat by the police and could have been prosecuted afterwards if they deemed an offence may have been committed.
A march by the EDL proclaiming "ban the burqa". something most moderate muslims would not have a problem with? How is that upsetting?
Its not so much the message that people get offended it, its the way the messenger delivers it.
If the method used is designed to be offensive it will also provoke who you intend to offend into possibly carrying out retaliatory actions. Thats the point of laws concerning public order, to prevent situations worsening.
As for the placards saying "no more mosques", its not particularly offensive, its not as if they are inciting to burn mosques down with muslims inside.
In a way the EDL message about no more mosques is due to the Muslim Community not being seen to condemn islamic fundamentalism or deal with extremists within their midst.
After all most of the home grown islamic terrorists were recruited in UK mosques, not the playing fields of the local comp were they?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pyramid*
The justice system in this country is a bloody joke.
I'd like to see this guy going over to the country where his roots are - and trying the same thing on a level that would insult that countrys citizens.......... but I guess he'd not have the balls to do that. Only here in Britain where our laws are so pathetically weak and allow these things to happen with a paltry fine.
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Yeah the justice system does seem to let some people off with a slap on the wrist sometimes.