a disgrace

[thediceman]

legal and a legitimate expression of their freedom of speech

Is it legal and legitimate

Inciting a riot, public order offenses, I also believe there is legislation that allows the authorities to disband unauthorised gatherings of a certain size (something ridiculous like 6 or more people) which was brought in to stop illegal raves which is often abused by the authorities to stop protests. I bet there is a shed full of laws that they have breached. It appears a case of do the authorities have the desire and will to stop such a demonstration and that will be largely a PC/political decision.

[neeko]

I would have said that in this country we have freedom of speech - but given the result of the appeal in the #twitterjoketrial - i am not so sure anymore.

[MANTIS01]

The mentality that we should protect free speech and freedom of expression at all costs because that's what our soldiers died fighting for tilts me badly. If you lined up every poor kid who lost his life in WWII every one of them would say they were fighting for Britain, their country, their home. They wouldn't give you that liberal political bollox as the reason they sacrificed their life. They died because the Germans were dropping bombs on their own families in their own homes and every one of them would be prepared to die protecting their own backyard from foreign invasion. Today every one of us would do the same. If a German soldier came down my road thinking he was somehow in charge of me I would happily shoot him in the leg and tell him to GTFO. That is the reality of why those guys died. Taking just one value from British culture and suggesting that is the reason they died is so wrong and disrespectful. Britain is a multi-cultural country and a world leader in promoting the virtue of free speech. We have nothing to prove on that score. So we don't need to take it to the extreme and keep inviting people to slap us in the face just to prove how tolerant we are. Spitting on the graves of those who died is where the line of free speech is drawn imo just like the denial of the holocaust. Free speech 99.9% of the time is a figure I can live with.

[thediceman]

Having just watched the news of the British soldier, who lost three limbs, complete a run across America is so humbling. Whether you agree with the war or not you should the sacrifices these brave man and women do in the belief that they are serving our country. For any individual or group to deliberately target a protest against them during a time when many are honouring them should be held accountable for these actions especially when their protest is done in an aggressive manner and aimed at causing offense.

[boldie]

The mentality that we should protect free speech and freedom of expression at all costs because that's what our soldiers died fighting for tilts me badly. If you lined up every poor kid who lost his life in WWII every one of them would say they were fighting for Britain, their country, their home. They wouldn't give you that liberal political bollox as the reason they sacrificed their life. They died because the Germans were dropping bombs on their own families in their own homes and every one of them would be prepared to die protecting their own backyard from foreign invasion. Today every one of us would do the same. If a German soldier came down my road thinking he was somehow in charge of me I would happily shoot him in the leg and tell him to GTFO. That is the reality of why those guys died. Taking just one value from British culture and suggesting that is the reason they died is so wrong and disrespectful. Britain is a multi-cultural country and a world leader in promoting the virtue of free speech. We have nothing to prove on that score. So we don't need to take it to the extreme and keep inviting people to slap us in the face just to prove how tolerant we are. Spitting on the graves of those who died is where the line of free speech is drawn imo just like the denial of the holocaust. Free speech 99.9% of the time is a figure I can live with.

Very much this.

No war has ever been fought because of "freedom of speech".

To even think, let alone say, that Freedom of speech exists is of course proposterous. Freedom of speech is curtailed in every avenue of society and, in most cases, quite rightly so. This sort of protest should be amongst one of those things that is not allowed.

[MANTIS01]

The mentality that we should protect free speech and freedom of expression at all costs because that's what our soldiers died fighting for tilts me badly. If you lined up every poor kid who lost his life in WWII every one of them would say they were fighting for Britain, their country, their home. They wouldn't give you that liberal political bollox as the reason they sacrificed their life. They died because the Germans were dropping bombs on their own families in their own homes and every one of them would be prepared to die protecting their own backyard from foreign invasion. Today every one of us would do the same. If a German soldier came down my road thinking he was somehow in charge of me I would happily shoot him in the leg and tell him to GTFO. That is the reality of why those guys died. Taking just one value from British culture and suggesting that is the reason they died is so wrong and disrespectful. Britain is a multi-cultural country and a world leader in promoting the virtue of free speech. We have nothing to prove on that score. So we don't need to take it to the extreme and keep inviting people to slap us in the face just to prove how tolerant we are. Spitting on the graves of those who died is where the line of free speech is drawn imo just like the denial of the holocaust. Free speech 99.9% of the time is a figure I can live with.

Very much this.

No war has ever been fought because of "freedom of speech".

To even think, let alone say, that Freedom of speech exists is of course proposterous. Freedom of speech is curtailed in every avenue of society and, in most cases, quite rightly so. This sort of protest should be amongst one of those things that is not allowed.

Yep, I mean this thread was originally removed wasn't it? If those guys lost their lives defending free speech then removing posts and censoring people on a forum for using a word is pretty shameful isn't it? But it isn't all that shameful because you do have to censor in every walk of life, you have to deny free speech. Post are removed every day on this forum because free speech isn't a reality. No, those guys died defending our country and I don't really get how allowing people to burn poppies is defending our country in their memory. It's just liberal beardy bollox

[Rod Paradise]

While I don't support the Muslim protestors in how they acted, the poppy-facism I've encountered here & in the press in general over the last few years tilts me up.

Best thing to do when you see a spark is extinguish it. Put out the spark quickly and it can't develop into a fire. You could put out this fire quite quickly with some rubber bullets and tear gas.

Aye - point out where that's been successful in history.....

The mentality that we should protect free speech and freedom of expression at all costs because that's what our soldiers died fighting for tilts me badly. If you lined up every poor kid who lost his life in WWII every one of them would say they were fighting for Britain, their country, their home. They wouldn't give you that liberal political bollox as the reason they sacrificed their life. They died because the Germans were dropping bombs on their own families in their own homes and every one of them would be prepared to die protecting their own backyard from foreign invasion. Today every one of us would do the same. If a German soldier came down my road thinking he was somehow in charge of me I would happily shoot him in the leg and tell him to GTFO. That is the reality of why those guys died. Taking just one value from British culture and suggesting that is the reason they died is so wrong and disrespectful. Britain is a multi-cultural country and a world leader in promoting the virtue of free speech. We have nothing to prove on that score. So we don't need to take it to the extreme and keep inviting people to slap us in the face just to prove how tolerant we are. Spitting on the graves of those who died is where the line of free speech is drawn imo just like the denial of the holocaust. Free speech 99.9% of the time is a figure I can live with.

REALLY? I think a lot would say it was because they were conscripted & they were fighting because they were scared they'd be killed.

I love how other people's jingoistic bullshit is worthy of rubber bullets but good old Blighty's is now mandatory in a country with alleged freedom.

How dare they oppose the poppy - you must be really angry against these guys then:

Soldiers say remember the futility of war on poppy day
Letter to The Independent, 03 November 2010

The Poppy Appeal is once again subverting Armistice Day. A day that should be about peace and remembrance is turned into a month-long drum roll of support for current wars. This year's campaign has been launched with showbiz hype. The true horror and futility of war is forgotten and ignored.

The public are being urged to wear a poppy in support of "Our Heroes". There is nothing heroic about being blown up in a vehicle. There is nothing heroic about being shot in an ambush and there is nothing heroic about fighting in an unnecessary conflict.

Remembrance should be marked with the sentiment "Never again".
Ben Griffin Northern Ireland, Macedonia, Afghanistan, Iraq; Ben Hayden Northern Ireland, Macedonia, Afghanistan, Iraq; Terry Wood Northern Ireland, Falklands; Ken Lukowiak Northern Ireland, Falklands; Neil Polley Falklands; Steve Pratt Dhofar, Northern Ireland.

[Ironside]

btw people I removed the thread last night after a brief talk with another mod as i was the only mod on at the time, and there had been a few OTT posts, to such an extend i got PMs from members telling me about the thread.
as i was about to log off for night i felt that the thread needed removing for the night

just to point out i was in the army from the age of 16, my father was in the army for 22 years and my brother is 20 years into his service and the removing of the thread had nothing to do with and feelings towards the poppy apeal or the reaction of militants to the poppy apeal but the removal was to do with the reactions on the thread and the fact it had the liabity to be a red rag to a bull to certain members and that when we got up today we were likely going to find a mess of a thread where we were liklely going to have pages of deletions

[sledge13]

The mentality that we should protect free speech and freedom of expression at all costs because that's what our soldiers died fighting for tilts me badly. If you lined up every poor kid who lost his life in WWII every one of them would say they were fighting for Britain, their country, their home. They wouldn't give you that liberal political bollox as the reason they sacrificed their life. They died because the Germans were dropping bombs on their own families in their own homes and every one of them would be prepared to die protecting their own backyard from foreign invasion. Today every one of us would do the same. If a German soldier came down my road thinking he was somehow in charge of me I would happily shoot him in the leg and tell him to GTFO. That is the reality of why those guys died. Taking just one value from British culture and suggesting that is the reason they died is so wrong and disrespectful. Britain is a multi-cultural country and a world leader in promoting the virtue of free speech. We have nothing to prove on that score. So we don't need to take it to the extreme and keep inviting people to slap us in the face just to prove how tolerant we are. Spitting on the graves of those who died is where the line of free speech is drawn imo just like the denial of the holocaust. Free speech 99.9% of the time is a figure I can live with.

Very much this.

No war has ever been fought because of "freedom of speech".

To even think, let alone say, that Freedom of speech exists is of course proposterous. Freedom of speech is curtailed in every avenue of society and, in most cases, quite rightly so. This sort of protest should be amongst one of those things that is not allowed.

Yep, I mean this thread was originally removed wasn't it? If those guys lost their lives defending free speech then removing posts and censoring people on a forum for using a word is pretty shameful isn't it? But it isn't all that shameful because you do have to censor in every walk of life, you have to deny free speech. Post are removed every day on this forum because free speech isn't a reality. No, those guys died defending our country and I don't really get how allowing people to burn poppies is defending our country in their memory. It's just liberal beardy bollox

Brilliant points, some of  the leftist bollocks that has been spouted on here is a disgrace! feedom of speech yadda yadda, yep only when it suits peoples agendas, and yes the BBC have hid this report, unreal!

[kinboshi]

The mentality that we should protect free speech and freedom of expression at all costs because that's what our soldiers died fighting for tilts me badly. If you lined up every poor kid who lost his life in WWII every one of them would say they were fighting for Britain, their country, their home. They wouldn't give you that liberal political bollox as the reason they sacrificed their life. They died because the Germans were dropping bombs on their own families in their own homes and every one of them would be prepared to die protecting their own backyard from foreign invasion. Today every one of us would do the same. If a German soldier came down my road thinking he was somehow in charge of me I would happily shoot him in the leg and tell him to GTFO. That is the reality of why those guys died. Taking just one value from British culture and suggesting that is the reason they died is so wrong and disrespectful. Britain is a multi-cultural country and a world leader in promoting the virtue of free speech. We have nothing to prove on that score. So we don't need to take it to the extreme and keep inviting people to slap us in the face just to prove how tolerant we are. Spitting on the graves of those who died is where the line of free speech is drawn imo just like the denial of the holocaust. Free speech 99.9% of the time is a figure I can live with.

Very much this.

No war has ever been fought because of "freedom of speech".

To even think, let alone say, that Freedom of speech exists is of course proposterous. Freedom of speech is curtailed in every avenue of society and, in most cases, quite rightly so. This sort of protest should be amongst one of those things that is not allowed.

Yep, I mean this thread was originally removed wasn't it? If those guys lost their lives defending free speech then removing posts and censoring people on a forum for using a word is pretty shameful isn't it? But it isn't all that shameful because you do have to censor in every walk of life, you have to deny free speech. Post are removed every day on this forum because free speech isn't a reality. No, those guys died defending our country and I don't really get how allowing people to burn poppies is defending our country in their memory. It's just liberal beardy bollox

Brilliant points, some of  the leftist bollocks that has been spouted on here is a disgrace! feedom of speech yadda yadda, yep only when it suits peoples agendas, and yes the BBC have hid this report, unreal!

So you don't want people to have freedoms when they have different opinions to you?

[bobAlike]

Freedom of speech is good.
Protesting against war/s is good.
Difference of opinion is good, it's what keeps us stimulated.
Telling soldiers to burn in hell is bad and harmful to legitimate protests.

These people are ultimately only harming themselves by inciting racial hatred and if a group of our soldiers were to give these muppets a kicking I'm sure the majority of uk christians and muslims alike would be content. Maybe for different reasons but content non the less.

[nirvana]

I think there are some great points on here.

Dan you are hanging on to a kind of shibboleth here with no real solid foundation. As many have said, there is no such thing as complete freedom of speech, lines are drawn all the time, you know this because you and the team here draw them all the time.

There are situations where someone elses freedom limits mine, so we stop them and we all have different lines - there is no blanket "I defend yr right...etc" that makes any sense at all

[Rod Paradise]

I think there are some great points on here.

Dan you are hanging on to a kind of shibboleth here with no real solid foundation. As many have said, there is no such thing as complete freedom of speech, lines are drawn all the time, you know this because you and the team here draw them all the time.

There are situations where someone elses freedom limits mine, so we stop them and we all have different lines - there is no blanket "I defend yr right...etc" that makes any sense at all

And how have the actions of those idiots limited anyone's freedom?

[nirvana]

I think there are some great points on here.

Dan you are hanging on to a kind of shibboleth here with no real solid foundation. As many have said, there is no such thing as complete freedom of speech, lines are drawn all the time, you know this because you and the team here draw them all the time.

There are situations where someone elses freedom limits mine, so we stop them and we all have different lines - there is no blanket "I defend yr right...etc" that makes any sense at all

And how have the actions of those idiots limited anyone's freedom?

Didn't say it did, but, hypothetically, I would have struggled to walk down that pavement safely in an Army uniform

[Ironside]

I think there are some great points on here.

Dan you are hanging on to a kind of shibboleth here with no real solid foundation. As many have said, there is no such thing as complete freedom of speech, lines are drawn all the time, you know this because you and the team here draw them all the time.

There are situations where someone elses freedom limits mine, so we stop them and we all have different lines - there is no blanket "I defend yr right...etc" that makes any sense at all

And how have the actions of those idiots limited anyone's freedom?

Didn't say it did, but, hypothetically, I would have struggled to walk down that pavement safely in an Army uniform

when i was 18 i struggled to get access into pubs and clubs when showing my id card as proof of age "because we dont serve forces"