A Scottish Hate Crime Bill is being met with an “avalanche” of opposition as judges have now joined police and free-speech campaigners to raise concerns over the controversial proposal. Critics of the Bill say that vague language and a section on “stirring up hate” could be used to stamp down on free speech and criminalise debate. […]
There has, naturally, been quite a bit of chatter in recent days about the despicable, racist attack carried out by a gang of Dublin gurriers on an innocent east Asian woman last week. If you haven’t seen it, here it is. In this case, there is no doubt whatever that racism was a primary factor […]
JOURNALIST Toby Young has set up a free speech union in Britain in response to what many see as a clampdown on freedom of expression. Ben Scallan asks if we need the same in Ireland. https://youtu.be/5UrzSRQgOt8 #gript
Former police officer Harry Miller has successfully challenged the use of Hate Crime Operational guidelines, issued by the College of Policing in 2014 and followed by police forces nationally; a Judge found they had been ‘unlawfully used to interfere with Mr Miller’s freedom of speech’ when he was visited by a policeman to question him […]
Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has launched a new public consultation on hate speech with the clear aim of implementing new, stricter laws around hateful speech which he said with certainty on Drivetime RTE a few days ago, “is becoming common in Ireland”. But, is it? Searching for stats on hate crimes in Ireland is surprisingly […]
Hate crime in England and Wales is defined as, ‘any criminal offence which is perceived, by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice towards someone based on a personal characteristic’. Yes. It is actually that broad and yes, it is actually that vague. The definition was agreed in 2007 […]