UK Police Arrested More than 3,395 People for Online ‘Hate Crimes’ Driven by ‘Hostility’
October 27, 2017 in News by RBN Staff
via: Need To Know | By Breitbart
Official guidelines insist a hate crime must be driven by “hostility”, but when contacted, many UK forces are unable to give a definition of what they mean by “hostility” in the context of hate crimes.
Breitbart London contacted dozens of forces to ask for their working definition of “hostility” and was referred on to the “dictionary definition” which includes “unfriendliness” and “dislike”.
Others referred Breitbart London to national bodies, including the College of Policing (CoP) and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which both admit there is an “absence of a precise legal definition of hostility”, with the latter also referring individual forces onto “dictionary definitions” for the purpose of investigating hate crimes.
UK police say hostility under hate crime legislation can include “unfriendliness”.
Well lock me the hell up, then. pic.twitter.com/WmeOddX0a0
— Raheem 🇺🇸 (@RaheemKassam) October 16, 2017
Dictionary definitions include a wide range of normal human behaviours and emotions, and images on social media suggest police officers are being told to look out for “unfriendliness” as a sign of a hate crime.
The CPS also mentions “ill-will, ill-feeling, spite, contempt, prejudice, unfriendliness, antagonism, resentment, and dislike” as examples of hostility that could be taken from a dictionary.
Many of these emotions are subjective, raising concerns police could target people inconsistently and unfairly, or due to misunderstandings and miscommunications. Others have pointed out “dislike” of immoral things is often honourable.
“Leicestershire Police refers to the College of Policing’s hate crime operational guidance. We refer to a standard English dictionary,” one force told Breitbart London.
Cheshire Police and Dorset Police forces told Breitbart London they follow “national guidance”, including the CPS, with the latter force insisting they “ensure officers and staff understand and are able to identify hate crime”.
Cheshire Police has previously warned users of social media not to post “offensive” comments or you “could face a large fine or up to two years in prison” and the Glasgow force has demanded people be “kind” online.
North Yorkshire Police simply sent Breitbart London the Citizen’s Advice and Home Officedefinition of a hate crime, as “any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by a hostility or prejudice”.
