5 men arrested over burning Grennfell tower model

Hector Savage

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-46106224

Five men have been arrested on suspicion of a public order offence in connection with a model of Grenfell Tower being burned on a bonfire.

A video shared on social media shows a cardboard model of the tower being set alight by a laughing crowd.

The Metropolitan Police said the men - two aged 49 and the others aged 19, 46 and 55 - handed themselves in at a south London station on Monday night.

Prime Minister Theresa May had called the video "utterly unacceptable".

Silly thing to do, not very funny, but these guys will probably spend time in jail now.


The UK has very dangerous Orwellian laws.
Crazy to think they have actually been arrested over this.

Shenshen

What kind of crime did they commit, though?

I'll be the first to say that it's not in good taste, but surely it's hardly criminal?

punisher5112

Complete fool's.

aaakev

Definitely poor taste, but criminal? Thats crazy

For Forks Sake

Shenshen wrote: »

What kind of crime did they commit, though?

I'll be the first to say that it's not in good taste, but surely it's hardly criminal?

Not unless the sassanach have made being a complete cúnt a crime...

Did no one actually read the article?

The men have been arrested under section 4a of the Public Order Act 1986, which covers intentional "harassment, alarm or distress" caused via the use of "threatening, abusive or insulting" words or signs.

I doubt they will be charged though, just a bollocking from the police and a warning not to do it again.

CrankyHaus

Edit: As Aegir pointed out what they did is an offence in the UK under hate crime laws. The same laws that are being pushed for over here by quangos like Pavee Point.

brainfreeze

Shenshen wrote: »

What kind of crime did they commit, though?

I'll be the first to say that it's not in good taste, but surely it's hardly criminal?

Harassment laws, something that causes offense. That's how people get arrested in the UK for being offensive on twitter.

It's a highly subjective dangerous law.

retro:electro

Absolute scrotes. How lacking in human empathy and just basic cop on must you be to do that.

punisher5112

I would love to see them having to do some unpaid work on their community what is it they call it...... Community service yes let's have them do some of that.

That's the lesson they need.


Think before you do something.

wakka12

Children burned alive..just awful to make a joke of\
But what was the crime..???

Assetbacked

It's nothing new to make extremely inappropriate jokes - the new phenomenon is to broadcast it when it should be done in private. Even where there is an argument that the video shouldn't have been made public it's sort of irrelevant as the fact is that it has been made public.

In these instances it is never, ever acceptable to advocate harm to the people who make such poor taste gestures as it is so subjective as to what constitutes inappropriate and what doesn't. The reality is that quite simply a tragedy was mocked by burning a paper model of the apartment block with paper model people in it and nothing more than that (sticks and stones etc.). The outlets and individuals broadcasting the video to generate anger and disgust are culpable in permeating the impact of the act so, in my view, the publications and people which give a platform to this deserve anger too and not just the individuals who carried out the act.

In terms of police engagement; if there should be a police investigation it should be to investigate the publications which provide a platform to spread this sort of stuff to the masses and not waste time targeting the individuals. But really there should be no police investigation, people have their own responsibility not to encourage something that they feel is extremely offensive.

Humphrey BoaGart

Bet they all voted for Brexit...

theguzman

It would be acceptable to make the joke if it was a luxury apartment full of rich white people, but when it was a council flat full of primarily illegal Muslim immigrants the PC left go mental. There has been a huge backlash against Grenfell in the UK as it has become unquestionable and so much so that charitys and NGO's found themselves scammed for millions and 10+ people have already been jailed for fraud as a result of lying to receive luxury hotel stays and pretending to be Grenfell tower victims. One guy was caught out lying that he was Gay and his partner was burned in the fire. whilst trying to fight deportation.

I would say it is because of this that you see incidents like this appearing.

bazz26

I'd say these 5 individuals are no loss to the scientific community anyway.

Hector Savage

retro:electro wrote: »

Absolute scrotes. How lacking in human empathy and just basic cop on must you be to do that.

Agreed, but it's a slippery slope when you start calling it hate speech ?
Sure anything could be hate speech, what if I burn a copy of the God Delusion by Richard Dawkins ? is that hate speech against Atheists ?

wexie

Hector Savage wrote: »

The UK has very dangerous Orwellian laws.
Crazy to think they have actually been arrested over this.

Aegir wrote: »

I doubt they will be charged though, just a bollocking from the police and a warning not to do it again.

I wouldn't be so confident, remember the girl that was given a community order for publishing rap lyrics (someone else's that is) in tribute to a friend?

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-43816921

A teenager who posted rap lyrics which included racist language on Instagram has been found guilty of sending a grossly offensive message

It's a crazy situation when the definition of a hate crime has gotten so broad as to pretty much include 'causing offence to someone'

The Pheasant2

Disgusting, tasteless "joke" from a pack of troglodytes...

That said, the idea that this is a police issue is OTT. The UK are going fairly 1984 with some of their laws these days, and I don't say that lightly.

suicide_circus

one day, all our senses of humour could be criminalised

retro:electro

suicide_circus wrote: »

one day, all our senses of humour could be criminalised

I have a very dark sense of humour and find almost feck all offensive but I just don’t see the humour in this. Its just stupid.

DChancer

Sick thing to do but cannot agree that it should be criminal or considered hate crime.

Brendan Filone

Vintage Britain 2018 that the only arrests over Grenfell Tower have been five scumbags burning a cardboard box in their back garden.

How about the odd arrest or two for the people who thought it was OK to house 200+ people in a building covered in solidified lighter fuel?

keano_afc

Arrested for burning an offensive effigy on a fire.

And this happened on bonfire night, when people up and down the UK burn an effigy on a fire.

Sardonicat

punisher5112 wrote: »

I would love to see them having to do some unpaid work on their community what is it they call it...... Community service yes let's have them do some of that.

That's the lesson they need.


Think before you do something.

They'll just take that as being victimised further. Scumbags. All adults aswell. This kind of sh1t is starting to scare me now.

Sardonicat

keano_afc wrote: »

Arrested for burning an offensive effigy on a fire.

And this happened on bonfire night, when people up and down the UK burn an effigy on a fire.

Spent the first years of my life in England. We were never allowed to participate in Guy Fawkes night for that very reason. Found it very confusing TBH

Richard Hillman

Meanwhile, there have been 118 Murders in London this year.

wexie

retro:electro wrote: »

I have a very dark sense of humour and find almost feck all offensive but I just don’t see the humour in this. Its just stupid.

I think Frankie Boyle is gonna have to either retire or emigrate

banie01

So on a night where Britain celebrates deliverence from a Catholic plot by burning one in effigy?
During a month where a Catholic/Nationalist and even more importantly Irish footballer is subjected to a barrage of abuse relating to his conscientious choice to not wear a poppy.
During a week in which the same Catholic/Nationalist/Irish footballer is being investigated by his employer and his governing body for his "retaliation" and abusive language, and will probably be referred to the police for further review...

5 lads make a piss poor attempt at "edgy and controversial" humour and they are arrested and interviewed under caution?
This is not a matter worthy of police intervention, its not a crime.
Its stupidity, its poor taste but not criminal.

If it is criminal, I'd hope that every single identifiable poster/commentator decrying those not wearing a Poppy are treated to the same degree of action.

"Free Speech" in th UK is becoming quite a contentious issue, there is a world of difference between Hate Speech, Incitement and Sectarianism, and plain outright stupidity.
Still, a "hate crime" by 5 lads sharing a stupid video counts as 5 ticks in the crime solved box
Rather than you know, catching 5 burglars?

Billy Mays

theguzman wrote: »

It would be acceptable to make the joke if it was a luxury apartment full of rich white people

Stop talking ****e

theguzman wrote: »

when it was a council flat full of primarily illegal Muslim immigrants the PC left go mental.

Theresa May's a PC lefty now is she?

Cato the Elder

Nonsense. Jokes in bad taste are a part of human nature. Who is the one who says when it is or is not too soon? If you can't specify that person and the reasoning, the notion should hold no legal ground. And who is it a hate crime against.


Furthermore, I consider that Carthage must be destroyed.

Sardonicat

theguzman wrote: »

It would be acceptable to make the joke if it was a luxury apartment full of rich white people, but when it was a council flat full of primarily illegal Muslim immigrants the PC left go mental. There has been a huge backlash against Grenfell in the UK as it has become unquestionable and so much so that charitys and NGO's found themselves scammed for millions and 10+ people have already been jailed for fraud as a result of lying to receive luxury hotel stays and pretending to be Grenfell tower victims. One guy was caught out lying that he was Gay and his partner was burned in the fire. whilst trying to fight deportation.

I would say it is because of this that you see incidents like this appearing.

So, because some assholes used this tragedy to commit fraud ( it happens after ever high profile tragedy, BTW, 9/11 spawned some pretty cynical scammers)
the avoidable death of tens of people should be regarded as a joke? Tell that to the fire fighters and the emergency line operators who will be scarred for life by Grenfell. I'd suggest you tell it to the survivors but seemingly because (according to you ) they are mainly illegal Muslim immigrants their trauma doesn't count.