Some T-Shirts are against the law!

[stockhausen]

A woman who was challenged by police officers for wearing an anti-Boris Johnson T-shirt at a Black Lives Matter demonstration is launching legal action against them over the right to free speech and political debate.
. . .
When she and a friend left the demonstration and were walking to Oxford Circus she saw two police officers gesturing to her. She did not understand what they were trying to communicate and went over to speak to them.

She was asked to zip up her jacket to cover up the slogan and was informed that she was in breach of section 5 of the Public Order Act, which states: “A person is guilty of an offence if he – (a) uses threatening words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour, or (b) displays any writing, sign or other visible representation which is threatening.”

It is not an offence if they “had no reason to believe that there was any person within hearing or sight who was likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress”.

Flynn filmed part of the incident on her phone and when she posted it on YouTube it went viral. The officers, from British Transport Police, told her she was in breach of the law by wearing the T-shirt because it displayed an obscene word that could cause alarm or distress.

The "obscene" word would certainly cause alarm or distress to somebody - but probably not to Boris Johnson who would almost certainly see it as a welcome invitation

 

[stockhausen]

The man is an incompetent buffoon who is steadily making this country the laughing stock of the world. Please feel free to go ahead and tell me what exactly he has done to earn respect? . . .

I think you would need a very large T-Shirt adequately to list Johnson's failings - a marquee would seem essential.

Personally I don't hate Johnson, I just despise the utterly dishonest, arrogant, bumbling buffoon.

 

[stockhausen]

. . . Maybe hire a bus, write it on the side?

You're gonna need a bigger bus!
Maybe a few redundant liar control water cannon?

 

[stockhausen]

I would suggest that some of the less easily offended on here might like to seek out an Album titled "Incredible! Live Country Joe!" and have a listen to a track called "You know what I mean" . . . it is available on Spotify and even on YouTube

 

[stockhausen]

I think this is more about being civil/public decency/protecting children in public etc. . . .

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also.

I can see how that would work with this corrupt, evil Government

I suspect that quite aside from anger at tolerance of racism in the UK, the woman in question felt very angry at many things that Johnson, Cummings, Hancock, et al have done and are doing to damage this country - which I believe has a world-beating record on not dealing with COVID-19 and making promises on which they consistently fail to deliver.

"Protecting children in public" (from seeing and hearing rude words)" - you must have been in isolation for a VERY long time, decades probably

 

[stockhausen]

But that IS generally what we do as a society. Do you not agree with the censorship we have in place as a society to protect children at a young age (ie radio edits, bleeped out swear words before certain times, film ratings etc)? . . . It's just about maintaining a level of public decency. Nothing more.

The audio on the video on the Guardian website isn't great but I don't get the impression that the Police Officer's concern was about either protecting young children or even about not outraging the public - he just seemed offended by a word that one hears used fairly frequently.

The T-Shirt seems to me to be just an understandable expression of criticism directed towards an absolutely awful, dishonest, incompetent Prime Minister and his Government.

I think we should up the police budget for a new tshirt police special branch for the easily offended.

Certainly "upping" the Police budget would be a good idea - if only we had a Law-n-Order Government

 

[stockhausen]

Got to love the way the women was moaning about this right wing government, not seeming to realize that regardless of which side was in power the police would still treat her the same.

You probably didn't spot this but the swear word was in fact the name of our despised Tory Prime Minister

 

[stockhausen]

Yes, but the issue isn't the Boris part, it's the other word. I'm sure the result would have be the same if it said "**** Amazon"

I'm sure you are right there Marv.

However, much as I despise Amazon's abuse of the UK tax laws, Amazon aren't deliberately and relentlessly doing as much damage to the people of this country as the Prime Minister is.

I don't know what the attitude towards Amazon of the lady in the article are, she does seem though to have enough sense not to be all that keen on the No. 10 buffoon

 

[stockhausen]

. . .
Did you just deliberately misgender him?

Nope, I really must get down to Specsavers when COVID-19 is just a bad memory

Sorry @Marvt74 /sheepish look/