Yes, I'm afraid it can. It's illegal in the UK (and I don't think the law has changed) to deny the holocaust. An author, a real crank, was put on trial in the UK years ago for doing so in a book. So arresting a person for teaching their dog to do a Hitler salute doesn't surprise me.
Freedom of speech doesn't mean quite the same as it does in the US.
This is appalling. Even if this were guaranteed to be an isolated authoritarian glitch, it would be appalling. But it's hard not to be concerned about a slippery slope straight to hell... This is madness.
Also: I'd say 'freedom of speech' means the same thing everywhere...it's just that there's less of it in the UK.
Yes, I'm afraid it can. It's illegal in the UK (and I don't think the law has changed) to deny the holocaust. An author, a real crank, was put on trial in the UK years ago for doing so in a book. So arresting a person for teaching their dog to do a Hitler salute doesn't surprise me.
ReplyDeleteFreedom of speech doesn't mean quite the same as it does in the US.
This is appalling.
ReplyDeleteEven if this were guaranteed to be an isolated authoritarian glitch, it would be appalling.
But it's hard not to be concerned about a slippery slope straight to hell...
This is madness.
Also: I'd say 'freedom of speech' means the same thing everywhere...it's just that there's less of it in the UK.
Okay, point.
ReplyDeleteWS "Also: I'd say 'freedom of speech' means the same thing everywhere...it's just that there's less of it in the UK."