Free speech

In general, you do not have the right to not be offended - internet passim

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" - Evelyn Beatrice Hall as an illustration of Voltaire's beliefs

Free speech in countries that are considered to be 'enlightened' is generally non-existent. This is a more general article detailing things not covered in the internet censorship page.

Prosecutions

Barry Thew - Wearing a T-shirt - 18 Sep 2012

A man from Greater Manchester who wore a T-shirt daubed with offensive comments about the killing of two police officers has been jailed.

Barry Thew, 39, was arrested wearing the top with the words "one less pig perfect justice" hours after the deaths of PCs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes.

He admitted a public order offence and was jailed for four months at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester.

Of course, the following probably has nothing to do with it:

Stuart Duke, defending, said Thew had been an in-patient at a mental health unit and was still in prescription of anti-psychotic medicine, but Judge Lakin said his mental health was 'not a contributing factor'.

Mr Duke said Thew has a long-standing dispute with Greater Manchester Police over the death of his son [in police custody] three years ago and repeated 'stop and search' procedures.

Emma West - Being racist - Feb 2012

EMMA WEST: What's this country come to? A load of Black people and a load of fucking Polish, a load of fucking East… Yeh. You're all fucking skipped from a… You ain't English.

UNSEEN WHITE MAN: No, I'm not. No.

EMMA WEST: No, you're not. You ain't English either. You ain't English. None of you fucking English. Get back to your own fucking… D'y'know what? Sort out your own countries. Don't come and do mine. Britain is nothing now. Britain is fuck all. My Britain is fuck all now. Britain is fuck all. My Britain is fuck all.

FAT BLACK LADY (FBL): Excuse me dear, there's little kids on the tram.

EMMA WEST: Yes, fine. I've got a little kid here.

FBL: Then have respect. Yeh? Have respect. My little boy's here.

EMMA WEST: I've got a little boy here.

FBL: Yes, then get off the tram.

EMMA WEST: Fuck you!

FBL: And you.

...

A Croydon woman whose tirade on a local tram was videoed and broadcast over the internet has pleaded not guilty to two counts of racially aggravated abuse.

Emma West, a 34-year-old former dental nurse from New Addington was arrested following a row with fellow passengers last October.

The court released West on conditional bail which bans her from travelling on any tram in the Croydon area.

West, 28, of Grenville Road in New Addington, is charged with two racially aggravated public order offences after a video, which apparently shows her abusing black, Asian and Polish tram passengers while holding her four-year-old son, was posted on YouTube.

The mother of two pleaded not guilty and had been due to face trial at Croydon Crown Court tomorrow (Wednesday[5 Sep 2012]).

However, the case has been adjourned for the third time after the Crown Prosecution Service asked for further reports to be compiled.

Emdadur Choudhury - Burning poppies - Mar 2011

A Muslim extremist has been found guilty of burning poppies at a protest in west London on Armistice Day.

Emdadur Choudhury, 26, of Spitalfields, east London, was fined £50 for offences under the Public Order Act.

Choudhury, a member of Muslims Against Crusades (MAC), had denied the charge at Woolwich Crown Court.

Mohammed Haque, 30, of Bethnal Green, was cleared of the charge. Both men had been accused of burning three oversized poppies on 11 November in Kensington.