http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-11736154
FFS. Arrested ?
How did we ever get to this situation ?
FFS. Arrested ?
How did we ever get to this situation ?
Tory councillor arrested over Twitter stoning post
- Thread starter Stoat Boy
- Start date
Fedayn
Well-Known Member
We got here because an idiot posted something urging people to stone someone to death... That's how we got here. You do real;ise that incitement to commit a crime is a crime itself yes? As for a joke? Well it's fucking funny now.....
Brilliant.
fogbat
The Talibum
The man's a prick, no doubt, but an arrest for a throwaway comment on Twitter's a bit much.
I'm reminded of the ridiculous case against Paul Chambers
I'm reminded of the ridiculous case against Paul Chambers
Bahnhof Strasse
Met up with Hannah Courtoy a week next Tuesday
temper_tantrum
The beauty of the ride
Paul Chambers' appeal has just been rejected: the court has ruled his Tweet was 'obviously menacing'. 
Vintage Paw
dead stare and computer glare
In which he has just, minutes ago, had the guilty verdict upheld. If you feel so inclined, you may search #twitterjoketrial for more information.
There are a lot of very serious issues coming out of the Chambers case, and while it's very sweet to see such a cunt as that councillor arrested, it does have wider ramifications in light of Paul's result today.
It just seems particularly hard to feel sorry for a Tory councillor, given that his lot -- and politicos generally, for that matter -- are so heavily responsible for creating the climate of fear that makes things like this possible in the first place.
Streathamite
ideological dogmatist
Now that is crazyPaul Chambers' appeal has just been rejected: the court has ruled his Tweet was 'obviously menacing'.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
Me too. But so should Yasmin yah yah
temper_tantrum
The beauty of the ride
The judge said Chambers was an 'unimpressive witness' and 'anyone living in this country in the present climate of terrorist threats.especially at airports, could not be unaware of the possible consequences'.
Apparently the defence have had to spend a large amount of time at every stage trying to educate court officials, prosecution and police about what Twitter actually is. Ignorant bunch of fucks.
Edit: Chambers has already lost his livelihood over this, as he can't qualify as an accountant with a criminal record. Now he has to pay a £1k fine plus £2,600 prosecution costs. The trial fund is here if anyone wants to donate:
http://cripesonfriday.tumblr.com/post/587845442/twitter-joke-trial-fund
(A lot of his legal team are acting for free, btw, before anyone starts banging on about filthy lawyers)
fogbat
The Talibum
Yep - David Allen Green / Jack of Kent has been writing about it, too.
temper_tantrum
The beauty of the ride
DAG/JoK is Chambers' defence solicitor!
kyser_soze
Hawking's Angry Eyebrow
Torn on this one.
1. He's a Tory, and therefore deserves it
2. Jasmin Alihabi-Brown is a pernicious idiot whom I have no sympathy for
3. Perhaps this will lead to the demise of twatter as a widespread medium, or people will actually start thinking that saying 'She should be stoned to death' to a few mates in the pub/office is different from annoucning it on an instant messaging service, and then start to think 'OO, maybe I should be a bit more aware of privacy on this internetwebby thing'
1. He's a Tory, and therefore deserves it
2. Jasmin Alihabi-Brown is a pernicious idiot whom I have no sympathy for
3. Perhaps this will lead to the demise of twatter as a widespread medium, or people will actually start thinking that saying 'She should be stoned to death' to a few mates in the pub/office is different from annoucning it on an instant messaging service, and then start to think 'OO, maybe I should be a bit more aware of privacy on this internetwebby thing'
kyser_soze
Hawking's Angry Eyebrow
They'd have to be close to each other. I doubt either one could manage much in the way of force in their throwing.
temper_tantrum
The beauty of the ride
Twitter joke trial story and background:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/nov/11/twitter-joke-trial-appeal-verdict
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/nov/11/twitter-joke-trial-appeal-verdict
Metal Malcolm
ODT resident emo
It isn't though. If you were to make a threatening comment in the pub, there's no reason you couldn't be done in exactly the same way Chambers has been. All it takes is for someone to overhear you and report it - you would then have to prove that your comment wasn't threatening in any way. And how exactly could you do that?
fogbat
The Talibum
I think he's doing it pro-bono, isn't he? He's written a couple of good articles about it, anyway.
TopCat
Putin fanboy
You engage the brain and keep your gob shut when interviewed.
kyser is right, though, in that it is a good general rule of thumb to not tweet anything that you wouldn't be happy to personally and publicly justify under much deeper scrutiny. It's a highly public announcement and people should treat it as such before emptying their branes..
kyser_soze
Hawking's Angry Eyebrow
The CPS wouldn't be able to prosecute me under the nuisance call act, which is how they got chambers, rather would have to go for bomb hoax legislation. So no, it's not the same.
temper_tantrum
The beauty of the ride
Yup, of course. He did Simon Singh's libel case too, and various others. Despite being a right-winger, he seems pretty sound.
Vintage Paw
dead stare and computer glare
Yes, he's a coalition supporter, a Lib Dem I believe. I certainly don't agree with him a lot of the time, but other times he can speak some very sensible stuff - illustrates the absurdity of the 'you're either with us or against us', black/white vision of the world many hold when it comes to picking your friends and your enemies.
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