Is This Reallya Police Matter ?

[Gromit]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/oct/23/callum-wilson-is-the-best-natural-finisher-ive-worked-with

[Canary42]

No.

[tonyav]

No it's not imo.

[Buenchico]

No, it's not a police matter but, because many people don't understand the law, the police are forced to investigate many complaints about things being 'offensive', even though they're actually perfectly lawful.

It is, thankfully, NOT an offence simply to cause offence to someone else (or to another group of people, such as those of a specific race, religion or sexuality). The display of an (allegedly) offensive banner only falls foul of the Public Order Act 1986 if it is done
(a) with intent to provoke violence ; OR
(b) with intent to cause fear of immediate unlawful violence ; OR
(c) with intent to cause (and thereby actually causing) a person harassment, alarm or distress ; OR
(d) where the content of the banner is threatening to a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress ; OR
(e) where there is intent to stir up racial hatred or where, through the display of the banner, racial hatred is likely to be stirred up.

None of the foregoing provisions apply to to the display of the banner by Crystal Palace fans but, clearly, someone who doesn't understand the law has taken offence and wrongly thinks that 'offensive' is synonymous with 'illegal'. It ain't!!!

[jno]

I wouldn't have though it qualified as hate speech unless the intent is to provoke violence against Newcastle players or fans; but that hardly seems the case.

[Hymie]

Quite why the police feel they need to investigate statements of fact written on a banner at a football match is beyond me.

Clearly our police need training in common sense.

[bobbinwales]

They can't just ignore the complaint but should of just been able to dismiss/reject it within minutes.

[ToraToraTora]

no, no idea why plod is looking into it.

[emmie]

is it any worse than the cretinous Anjem Choudary displaying a banner that says down with the government, or this country will be ruled by Sharia Law one day...

[dave50]

The complaintent is probably one of the usual suspects who likes to take offence on someone else's behalf.

[Ken4155]

^
Probably some 'sad sack' sat at home watching on tv. Can't believe it was one of those hairy-***, genial Geordies who bravely bare their five-bellies at football matches in all kinds of weather.
Would've thought plod had much better things to do.

[ynnafymmi]

Looks like it could be classed as Islamophobia.I thought you left-wingers didnt like Islamophobia?

[douglas9401]

The truth is not Islamophobic.

[royfromaus]

On the positive side, the Newcastle players took the knee.

Meaningful stuff, innit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism_in_Saudi_Arabia

[jno]

nothing on the sign about Islam

[tomus42]

The police must think it is or else they wouldn't be investigating. They always jump when the magic word 'offence' is spoken. It's just the mundane stuff like burglary, theft and vandalism they struggle to get interested in these days.