Teen Arrested for Posting Picture of Burning Poppy Online (UK)

GLaDOS · 12-11-2012 4:10pm #1

http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/teen-accused-of-posting-picture-of-burning-poppy-arrested-573953.html

A teenager arrested on Remembrance Sunday on suspicion of posting a picture of a burning poppy on Facebook is being questioned by British police.

The 19-year-old was held after the image of a poppy being lit by a lighter was reportedly posted online with the obscene caption: “How about that you squadey c****”.

Police said the man, from Canterbury, Kent, was detained on suspicion of an offence under the Malicious Communications Act after officers were contacted at around 4pm yesterday.

This is getting ridiculous. Whatever about targeting racist/xenophobic etc material online, it looks like you can't do anything that might offend people at large on facebook (in the UK anyway)

Death and Taxes · 12-11-2012 4:11pm

Totally fúcking OTT.
So much for the democratic right to freedom of expression.:mad:

Zebra3 · 12-11-2012 4:13pm

ScienceNerd wrote: »

http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/teen-accused-of-posting-picture-of-burning-poppy-arrested-573953.html

This is getting ridiculous. Whatever about targeting racist/xenophobic etc material online, it looks like you can't do anything that might offend people at large on facebook (in the UK anyway)

Yet it's ok for politicans to stand up on the internet and proposing bombing Iran. :rolleyes:

kylith · 12-11-2012 4:15pm

The UK police really, really need to stop taking tips on policing from the Taliban.

...calculated and deliberate” insult to the dead ...

How the fudge can you insult the dead? They're dead, ffs, they don't get offended at anything.

LordSutch · 12-11-2012 4:15pm

In fairness, the teenager was a total dick for going to the trouble of posting the image of a burning poppy on Remembrance Sunday, of all days.

wes · 12-11-2012 4:15pm

So much for free speech in the UK. Not the first time something like this has happened. There was another lad who said some in fairness really nasty stuff about British soldiers, who was up in court over it. Just goes to show that even in some parts of Europe, we don't really have free speech.

Shzm · 12-11-2012 4:16pm

Wow, I completely read that as 'burning puppy'.

Poor puppy

suicide_circus · 12-11-2012 4:17pm

Terrorists: 1
Moderate free democratic society: 0

Death and Taxes · 12-11-2012 4:17pm

LordSutch wrote: »

In fairness, the teenager was a total dick for going to the trouble of posting the image of a burning poppy on remembrance Sunday, of all days.

Blair was a total dick for starting an illegal war, how come he wasn't arrested!

GLaDOS · 12-11-2012 4:17pm

LordSutch wrote: »

In fairness, the teenager was a total dick for going to the trouble of posting the image of a burning poppy on remembrance Sunday, of all days.

Oh definitely, but being a dick should not be something to be arrested for.

Ottway · 12-11-2012 4:18pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqPcjm-X5GQ

roughneck · 12-11-2012 4:18pm

If the same law applied here ,we could get done for drowning the shamrock :

leggo · 12-11-2012 4:19pm

Freedom of speech is an idea that people believe exists thanks to watching American movies (and spending too much time on Reddit). We don't have a first amendment to our constitution in Ireland, the UK or Europe. It's not a 'thing' here.

That said, it's still pretty ****ing harsh.

Death and Taxes · 12-11-2012 4:19pm

Seems the British have decided to align their tolerance levels to those of the great friends Saudi Arabia and Bahrain!

krudler · 12-11-2012 4:19pm

LordSutch wrote: »

In fairness, the teenager was a total dick for going to the trouble of posting the image of a burning poppy on Remembrance Sunday, of all days.

Being a dick is an arrestable offence now?

GRMA · 12-11-2012 4:20pm

Lads were arrested in the north for that last year. Burning it is a perfectly mine political statement, wouldn't do it myself.

Itsdacraic · 12-11-2012 4:23pm

since when did the boards mods grt appointed to the UK police force?

ArmaniJeanss · 12-11-2012 4:24pm

WileyCoyote wrote: »

Totally fúcking OTT.
democratic right to freedom of expression.:mad:

wes wrote: »

So much for free speech in the UK. Just goes to show that even in some parts of Europe, we don't really have free speech.

Free Speech would be not wearing a poppy, or starting a blog or perhaps uploading a youtube clip explaining why he feels poppy wearing (or remembrance day itself ) is wrong.

Free speech is not being filmed burning a poppy on November 11th whilst calling members of the armed forces 'squaddie cnuts'.

I'll defend the rights of the former to the death, whilst happily seeing the latter up in court.

Gbear · 12-11-2012 4:25pm

LordSutch wrote: »

In fairness, the teenager was a total dick for going to the trouble of posting the image of a burning poppy on Remembrance Sunday, of all days.

Cry me a ****ing river.

People seriously need to grow a pair.
The UK are starting to treat their citizens like children.
"Boohoo I'm offended! Mammy Government!".

AllGunsBlazing · 12-11-2012 4:28pm

In other news: James McClean to be imprisoned in the tower of London.

Big Bottom · 12-11-2012 4:29pm

Disgracefully inconsiderate thing to do.

A few days in a cell might show him not to be so uncaring in the future.

Zebra3 · 12-11-2012 4:29pm

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Free speech is not being filmed burning a poppy on November 11th whilst calling members of the armed forces 'squaddie cnuts'.

Not any more. :mad:

Why should people have the right to label child killers as c****?

Will you get arrested for calling the Taliban c**** on the internet?

martomcg · 12-11-2012 4:31pm

Burning things has been a statement of political activism since its beginnings. By starting down this route the UK government is setting a dangerous precedent.

Figures released from Google show a disturbing amount of requests of censorship of "anti-patriotic" material from the UK government last year.

Wonder if i did the same and burned a poppy here in Ireland would i have been called in for questioning?

wes · 12-11-2012 4:31pm

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Free Speech would be not wearing a poppy, or starting a blog or perhaps uploading a youtube clip explaining why he feels poppy wearing (or remembrance day itself ) is wrong.

Free speech is not being filmed burning a poppy on November 11th whilst calling members of the armed forces 'squaddie cnuts'.

I'll defend the rights of the former to the death, whilst happily seeing the latter up in court.

Yes, what he did was free speech actually. Now if your against free speech, then fair enough. Your perfectly entitled to that position, but to pretend that you are for free speech, and that what this guy was doing wasn't free speech is utter nonsense.

Don't get me wrong, it was a nasty thing to do, but arresting the kid is simple and utter stupidity.

Death and Taxes · 12-11-2012 4:31pm

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Free Speech would be not wearing a poppy, or starting a blog or perhaps uploading a youtube clip explaining why he feels poppy wearing (or remembrance day itself ) is wrong.

Free speech is not being filmed burning a poppy on November 11th whilst calling members of the armed forces 'squaddie cnuts'.

I'll defend the rights of the former to the death, whilst happily seeing the latter up in court.

Get back to me when you have googled "Freedom of Expression".
Even in the USA it is legal to burn the stars and stripes ffs!
The idea that a wholly peaceful act of protest, that had no racist overtones, no call to arms or violence could be a prosecutable offence in a supposedly modern western European democracy is beyond comprehension.
Like I said more like something one would expect of Britains great allies, the Saudis and Bahrainis.

AllGunsBlazing · 12-11-2012 4:31pm

Big Bottom wrote: »

Disgracefully inconsiderate thing to do.

A few days in a cell might show him not to be so uncaring in the future.

Yeah, fúck all that murder and robbery stuff. Lets stuff prisons full of flower burners instead!

ahnowbrowncow · 12-11-2012 4:33pm

Big Bottom wrote: »

Disgracefully inconsiderate thing to do.

A few days in a cell might show him not to be so uncaring in the future.

So being inconsiderate is a criminal offence now? :rolleyes:

Death and Taxes · 12-11-2012 4:34pm

Big Bottom wrote: »

Disgracefully inconsiderate thing to do.

A few days in a cell might show him not to be so uncaring in the future.

Forgive me, but I have more inconsiderate things on opening day of the Christmas sales, since when has being uncaring and inconsiderate been a crime?
If it is then we need a lot more prisons!

Amirani · 12-11-2012 4:38pm

Big Bottom wrote: »

Disgracefully inconsiderate thing to do.

A few days in a cell might show him not to be so uncaring in the future.

There shouldn't be an obligation to pander to people's "cares" towards a rotten and imperialistic military culture that is responsible for the deaths of millions of people. The UK has degenerated into a police state that would be more appropriatly located in the places they're fighting wars than in Western Europe.

conorhal · 12-11-2012 4:40pm

ScienceNerd wrote: »

http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/teen-accused-of-posting-picture-of-burning-poppy-arrested-573953.html

This is getting ridiculous. Whatever about targeting racist/xenophobic etc material online, it looks like you can't do anything that might offend people at large on facebook (in the UK anyway)

What's really hilarious is that they're releasing Abu Qatada today because they can't deport a wanted terrorist! So it would appear that in the UK you can plan a murderous bombing campaign and sit pretty, but burn a paper poppy......

Madam_X · 12-11-2012 4:41pm

leggo wrote: »

Freedom of speech is an idea that people believe exists thanks to watching American movies (and spending too much time on Reddit). We don't have a first amendment to our constitution in Ireland, the UK or Europe. It's not a 'thing' here.

Yup, doesn't exist here and in the UK - yet there are constant constant teenage cries of "free thpeech!"
This case is still a complete joke though.

ArmaniJeanss · 12-11-2012 4:42pm

wes wrote: »

Yes, what he did was free speech actually. Now if your against free speech, then fair enough. Your perfectly entitled to that position, but to pretend that you are for free speech, and that what this guy wasn't free is utter nonsense.

I don't actually believe its free speech under most European countries definitions. Calling me, as a member of the UK Armed Forces, 'a squaddie cnut' violates my right not to be insulted as I go about my daily life. Why should some vague definition of 'free speech' trump this.
I'll defend your right to criticise the army and its employees though. This is what free speech means, and we have that in abundance despite hilarious ill-conceived comparisons to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia (below).

WileyCoyote wrote: »

Get back to me when you have googled "Freedom of Expression".
Even in the USA it is legal to burn the stars and stripes ffs!
The idea that a wholly peaceful act of protest, that had no racist overtones, no call to arms or violence could be a prosecutable offence in a supposedly modern western European democracy is beyond comprehension.
Like I said more like something one would expect of Britains great allies, the Saudis and Bahrainis.

LordSutch · 12-11-2012 4:43pm

krudler wrote: »

Being a dick is an arrestable offence now?

Its the fact that he went to the trouble of posting the picture on the internet, he broadcast the picture of a burning poppy on poppy day!!!

If he had kept it to himself then fair enough . . . .

Grayson · 12-11-2012 4:46pm

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

I don't actually believe its free speech under most European countries definitions. Calling me, as a member of the UK Armed Forces, 'a squaddie cnut' violates my right not to be insulted as I go about my daily life. Why should some vague definition of 'free speech' trump this.
I'll defend your right to criticise the army and its employees though. This is what free speech means, and we have that in abundance despite hilarious ill-conceived comparisons to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia (below).

By your definition, every comedian ever should be locked up if someone didn't find one of their jokes funny.

recylingbin · 12-11-2012 4:46pm

I was arrested last time I burnt a poppy.

Zebra3 · 12-11-2012 4:47pm

conorhal wrote: »

What's really hilarious is that they're releasing Abu Qatada today because they can't deport a wanted terrorist! So it would appear that in the UK you can plan a murderous bombing campaign and sit pretty, but burn a paper poppy......

Sure isn't even Tony Blair walking around with nothing to worry about.....

DavyD_83 · 12-11-2012 4:47pm

Idiot; Yes
Criminal; No

pickarooney · 12-11-2012 4:47pm

Burning poppies sounds like something the Taliban would do

GRMA · 12-11-2012 4:47pm

LordSutch wrote: »

Its the fact that he went to the trouble of posting the picture on the internet, he broadcast the picture of a burning poppy on poppy day!!!

If he had kept it to himself then fair enough . . . .

What use is a protest, political expression if you do it in secret? He was a bit of a dick and I wouldnt do it myself but it was his facebook (?) and he doesnt deserve to be arrested.

Gbear · 12-11-2012 4:48pm

We should start international burn a poppy day in solidarity.

Or how about international burn everything day?

National flags, poppies, bibles, korans, pictures of Obama, swastikas - if you own it (and it doesn't represent a health hazard or cause large amounts of chemicals to be released) you can burn it.

A big **** you to the industry of getting offended, in other words.

CreepingDeath · 12-11-2012 4:48pm

The UK is getting scary with it's thought police.

Probably because they introduced laws to try and silence extremists in the UK, but now has to appear to apply the same laws equally among other groups or individuals.

Gbear · 12-11-2012 4:49pm

pickarooney wrote: »

Burning Harvesting poppies sounds like something the Taliban would do

:pac:

Grudaire · 12-11-2012 4:51pm

Gbear wrote: »

We should start international burn a poppy day in solidarity.

Or how about international burn everything day?

National flags, poppies, bibles, korans, pictures of Obama, swastikas - if you own it (and it doesn't represent a health hazard or cause large amounts of chemicals to be released) you can burn it.

A big **** you to the industry of getting offended, in other words.

You must work for the multinational that creates National flags, poppies, bibles, korans, pictures of Obama and swastikas :pac:

also props on the subtle Godwins ;-)

conorhal · 12-11-2012 4:51pm

pickarooney wrote: »

Burning poppies sounds like something the Taliban would do

Na, Now arresting people for doing something so trivial as burning arbitrary symbols in a manner that they found offensive sounds like something the Taliban would do.

AllGunsBlazing · 12-11-2012 4:53pm

CreepingDeath wrote: »

The UK is getting scary with it's thought police.

Probably because they introduced laws to try and silence extremists in the UK, but now has to appear to apply the same laws equally among other groups or individuals.

Whatever path the UK goes down we are invariably not that far behind. I can honestly see the likes of Kenny and Shatter looking at these kind of developments in British society with some interest.

wes · 12-11-2012 4:54pm

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

I don't actually believe its free speech under most European countries definitions. Calling me, as a member of the UK Armed Forces, 'a squaddie cnut' violates my right not to be insulted as I go about my daily life. Why should some vague definition of 'free speech' trump this.

Lots of European countries put limits on free speech. Putting limits on free speech, doesn't change what it is. Again, your against it, and that is fair enough. If you think that anyone who insults there armed force should be jailed, then again that your position, but to claim you support free speech, is simply not true.

BTW, he wasn't calling a specific member of the armed force anything. It was a generic insult and nothing more. Now what he did was nasty, but putting him in jail is utterly stupid, and imho I would think that those in armed force in the UK, should have thicker skin.

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

I'll defend your right to criticise the army and its employees though. This is what free speech means, and we have that in abundance despite hilarious ill-conceived comparisons to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia (below).

The difference between the 2 is the severity of the punishment, and what is above being insulted. In Saudi Arabia, they put Religion above insult, and in the UK, there armed forces. There both still preventing people from engaging in free speech.

keith16 · 12-11-2012 4:55pm

NiallSparky wrote: »

There shouldn't be an obligation to pander to people's "cares" towards a rotten and imperialistic military culture that is responsible for the deaths of millions of people. The UK has degenerated into a police state that would be more appropriatly located in the places they're fighting wars than in Western Europe.

The UK is far from a police state.

Anyway, I still think it's over the top. But but but can kind of see the authorities point of view on this.

If this was 15 years ago, (prior to the global reach of today's internet), and this was some loon in Hyde Park, most people (including the police) would just ignore him.

Governments are afraid of todays viral internet however, and things like this could be seen as inciting hatred etc. as the platform and potential reach is many times bigger.

So, if you are the police, who would you rather have to deal with, this one idiot, or a baying mob outside his front door. I'm not saying it's right to arrest one person for the sake of appeasing this type of mob mentality, but I would think that's their approach.

It was like that guy who was jailed for his racist tweets about Fabrice Muamba after he collapsed. There is a difference between one drunken racist "opinion" between mates (which go nowhere) in the pub and one that gets retweeted hundreds of thousands of times.

The internet amplifies and the authorities are terrified of this. Not saying it's right, just want to try to provide some perspective.

RobbieTheRobber · 12-11-2012 4:55pm

pickarooney wrote: »

Burning poppies sounds like something the Taliban would do

Gbear wrote: »

:pac:

The correction wasn't needed, the taliban did reduce cultivation.

Based on UNODC data, there has been more opium poppy cultivation in each of the past four growing seasons (2004–2007) than in any one year during Taliban rule. Also, more land is now used for opium in Afghanistan than for coca cultivation in Latin America. In 2007, 92% of the non-pharmaceutical-grade opiates on the world market originated in Afghanistan.

CreepingDeath · 12-11-2012 4:56pm

AllGunsBlazing wrote: »

Whatever path the UK goes down we are invariably not that far behind. I can honestly see the likes of Kenny and Shatter looking at these kind of developments in British society with some interest.

I don't know about that.

The UK is a terrorist target due to its foreign policy, so it's more paranoid about these things and needs laws to give it increased powers.
We don't "need" those laws.

conorhal · 12-11-2012 4:58pm

CreepingDeath wrote: »

The UK is getting scary with it's thought police.

Probably because they introduced laws to try and silence extremists in the UK, but now has to appear to apply the same laws equally among other groups or individuals.

It would be great if they actually were silencing extremists or applying the law equally, but as I pointed out earlier, they are releasing Abu Qatatda today because they can't deport the poor precious to a country where he's wanted for terrorism.
Since I never hear of islamists getting hauled in for chanting death threats at a protest or handing out vile leflets outside a mosque I can only assume that these laws are being far from equally applied.

AllGunsBlazing · 12-11-2012 4:59pm

CreepingDeath wrote: »

We don't "need" those laws.

I certainly agree with you on that part.

Teen Arrested for Posting Picture of Burning Poppy Online (UK)

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