Political Policing: UK Journalist Arrested for Posting “Offensive” Message Online
Fri 7:43 am +01:00, 7 Oct 2022 |
Despite the UK government’s proposals to stop it, British citizens are still being arrested over alleged speech offences.
Police officers from the United Kingdom’s Surrey Police force arrested journalist, writer and media commentator Caroline Farrow on 3 October after she was reported for allegedly posting a “grossly offensive message.” “Nobody was threatened and no violence was incited. Insulting people online is not a criminal offence,” tweeted Farrow.
The officers seized Farrow’s electronic devices, questioned her at Guildford Police Station, and released her under investigation.
In July, UK’s thought police arrested two men because an online meme “caused anxiety” and harassed a Youtuber for being “untoward about paedophiles,” read more HERE.
In mid-September, Alex Belfield was sentenced to 5 years and six months for “online stalking.”
Although the circumstances were different, in another display of an attack on free speech Voice of Wales hosts were in court in August after being arrested while reporting on a protest. The trial was due to last for three days but on the first day the two hosts, Stan and Dan, were found not guilty. Additionally, CCTV footage proved the police officers involved had lied and committed perjury.
Republished from Reclaim the Net
Police officers from the United Kingdom’s (UK’s) Surrey Police force arrested journalist Caroline Farrow after she was reported for allegedly posting a “grossly offensive message.” The officers seized Farrow’s electronic devices, questioned her at Guildford Police Station, and released her under investigation.
Farrow has denied posting the messages, said that she was falsely accused of posting messages writeen by other people, and described the police’s actions as “absurd.”
“I haven’t sent any threatening or indecent messages,” Farrow tweeted. “I was shown posts from KiwiFarms written by other people. I suspect these are the grossly indecent and threatening messages.”
In a statement, Surrey Police said: “When we receive an allegation of a crime, in this instance one where a grossly offensive message is said to have been communicated, it is our job to assess it alongside any available evidence to identify if an offence has been committed. If it has, we gather further evidence and carry out an investigation to prove or disprove the allegation. That is exactly the process that is being followed in this case.”
According to Farrow, two police officers showed up at her home while she was preparing dinner and told her that they’d come to arrest her for “malicious comms.” Farrow said she asked the officers whether they had a warrant but they told her they don’t need one and one officer barged his way into her home.