They don’t have any real rights, just laws that are up to the whims of judges and Parliament
Comment on Journalists Arrested Under Terrorism Act at Protest Against Israeli Arms Company
motionofethre@piefed.social 3 weeks ago
Why is freedom of speech so hard in the UK?
LodeMike@lemmy.today 3 weeks ago
NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io 3 weeks ago
Because it straight up doesn't exist. I'm very, very much not one to shill for America, but the American constitution's First Amendment is what freedom of speech looks like. Y'all don't have anything like that, ostensibly to prevent hate speech and terrorism but, well... you can see the problem there I think.
Djehngo@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
In the UK “I support Palestine” is fine, “I disagree with the proscription of Palestine action is fine”, but “I support Palestine Action” is illegal because it is supporting a proscribed terrorism group.
It seems like the police have now decided that merely standing near someone carrying a PA sign is now also an arrestable offence which seems even more insane.
bedwyr@piefed.ca 3 weeks ago
The UK was the birth of freedom of speech in that era. Now to be robbed of it, without a fight.
We need a new Magna Carta, in the UK, the US, and the Western World.
fakeman_pretendname@feddit.uk 3 weeks ago
It depends what you want to be free to speak about.
“All the environmental stuff is false and climate change isn’t real” = This is acceptable free speech in the UK.
“COVID was all lies and isn’t real and everyone who died was faking it” = This is acceptable free speech in the UK.
“Let’s kill foreign people and sink their boats so they all die” = This is acceptable free speech in the UK.
“Trans women aren’t real women and they shouldn’t be allowed to use public toilets, vote or have jobs” = This is acceptable free speech in the UK
“We should form a mob, burn down half of our local city centre, destroy scores of local small businesses, drag foreign-looking people out of cars, sexually assault any foreign-looking women we see and basically trash an entire postcode of a city causing fear and terror to everyone who lives there” = This is acceptable free speech in the UK, and what poor, adorable, misunderstood patriots they are.
“I’m not 100% convinced that everything Israel does is entirely perfect” = This is NOT acceptable free speech in the UK. You are a terrorist, we will send 12 officers to kick the shit out of you, and then you will be arrested and locked up for months without trial, then convicted as a terrorist.
abbiistabbii@piefed.blahaj.zone 3 weeks ago
Yup, this is it. This is straight up it. Even the “Liberal” press spout fat right talking points unchallenged while you can’t even show someone wearing a T shirt with “Protect the Dolls” on it on TV.