Racism and the law

randomer

If someone refered to an English person as an "English C**t", are they breaking any laws?

Also, if someone refered to a black person using the N word, are they breaking any laws?

Thanks,
Randomer

seamus

Just saying the words are unlikely in themselves to be illegal. However, it may cause problems depending on the context. If someone came up, attempting to gain access to a pub, for example, and the bouncer said "Piss of you English ****", then there may very well be a case for discrimination there under the equality act - not because of what the bouncer said, but because his words imply that the patron's not getting into the pub purely based on his nationality.

Publishing the words may have other connotations on the grounds of offensiveness, but again you probably wouldn't be criminally prosecuted, instead someone may take a civil case against you.

Tom Young

Incitement to Hatred
S2 Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act, 1989
It shall be an offence for a person
1. publish or distribute written material
2. to use words, behave or display written material

(a) in any place other than inside a private residence or
(b) inside a private residence so that the words, behaviour or material are heard or seen by persons outside the residence or
(c) to distribute, show or play a recording of visual images or sounds, if the written material, words, behaviour, visual images or sounds, as the case may be, are threatening, abusive or insulting and are intended or, having regard to all the circumstances, are likely to stir up hatred.

seamus

Wow, how beautifully vague.

Interestingly enough though, that's more about stirring up hatred as opposed to displaying it, if that makes sense.

Insulting someone isn't incitement to hatred - the hatred is already there

That may just be me nitpciking though.