Live Edinburgh News - Police Arrests Following Illegal Social Media Messages

Jack

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Nov 11, 2007
Language used by two men in comments posted on the social media outlet, Twitter, about the disappearance of three year old Mikaeel Kular has led to their arrest.

Police arrested both men today (Sunday,January 19) after they committed offences of a racist nature.

The men, who are aged 19 and 26, have been arrested, questioned and released on bail.

The remarks on Twitter were brought to the attention of Police Scotland by members of the public in Edinburgh.

Officers from Police Scotland liaised with colleagues from Hampshire Constabulary and Derbyshire Constabulary to identify the individuals responsible.

Chief Supt Mark Williams, Police Scotland Edinburgh Divisional Commander, said: Any reports of racist, offensive or abusive comments made online will be thoroughly investigated and those responsible will be brought to justice.

If you commit an offence, we will investigate it and you will be prosecuted.

I think its great the police *can* react so quickly. I would have turned blue and passed out waiting for police action during sevcos demise though.
 
I think its anything but great that the police are involved in thought crime on the Internet. Anyone making sick comments about this is an unparalleled arse but that is no justification for this pc Gestapo pish
 
I think its anything but great that the police are involved in thought crime on the Internet. Anyone making sick comments about this is an unparalleled arse but that is no justification for this pc Gestapo pish

I agree with you, people should be free to type whatever they want, regardless of it being tasteless or not. People who sink that low are scumbags, but they already know that.
 
To be fair, I've seen what they have written and it's sickening. You wouldn't be allowed to speak that way in public so the same rules should apply for folk online ( IMHO)
 
To be fair, I've seen what they have written and it's sickening. You wouldn't be allowed to speak that way in public so the same rules should apply for folk online ( IMHO)
I,m with you on this. Being online should not be an amnesty to saying things that are illegal.
 
I,m with you on this. Being online should not be an amnesty to saying things that are illegal.

Yes but saying things should not be illegal, outside incitement to violence and maybe a very small number of others (I can't think of any right now)
 
Yes but saying things should not be illegal, outside incitement to violence and maybe a very small number of others (I can't think of any right now)
What? Do you think that racial abuse or any kind of abuse or bullying is ok because saying things should not be illegal? Insults are one thing, hatred and abuse should be stamped out.
 
I think its anything but great that the police are involved in thought crime on the Internet. Anyone making sick comments about this is an unparalleled arse but that is no justification for this pc Gestapo pish

Any reports of racist, offensive or abusive comments made online will be thoroughly investigated and those responsible will be brought to justice.

What part of this is not right in a civilised society?

The laws around the internet are already well established. Those who wish to publish on the internet need to abide by them.
 
Any reports of racist, offensive or abusive comments made online will be thoroughly investigated and those responsible will be brought to justice.

What part of this is not right in a civilised society?

The laws around the internet are already well established. Those who wish to publish on the internet need to abide by them.

Who decides what's "offensive" though? Slippery slope IMO

Caveat - I've no idea what was written, just talking in general terms.
 
I think its anything but great that the police are involved in thought crime on the Internet. Anyone making sick comments about this is an unparalleled arse but that is no justification for this pc Gestapo pish

I understand the free speech angle man , I really do , but, if that wee chap was one of yours, would you feel the same ? I doubt it , and to be honest, id struggle also . Id want the guilty hung drawn and quartered !!!!
 
What? Do you think that racial abuse or any kind of abuse or bullying is ok because saying things should not be illegal? Insults are one thing, hatred and abuse should be stamped out.

No. I think personal abuse of an individual person, is bullying, and potentially an offence depending on severity. But general statements, should not be, however offensive.

I mean where do you stop?

ps how did you infer I thought anything to be ok? I explicitly spelled out what I thought of the commenters. But what is right and wrong and what is legal or illegal are not nearly the same thing.

- - - Updated - - -

I understand the free speech angle man , I really do , but, if that wee chap was one of yours, would you feel the same ? I doubt it , and to be honest, id struggle also . Id want the guilty hung drawn and quartered !!!!

Absolutely - but that's not how we should be forming our laws.
 
Who decides what's "offensive" though? Slippery slope IMO

Caveat - I've no idea what was written, just talking in general terms.

I've no idea either so I'm in general terms too.

Those who decide will be a jury in a court of law and from that, and numerous appeals, a precedent will be set.

- - - Updated - - -

With the right of free speech comes responsibilities.
 
Not going to post what was written on here. If anyone wants to see a sample screenshot of one of the posts ( which I believe have now been taken down) the guy from the muirhouse association has a picture of it on his Facebook page. Just search for a dude called "Stephen Roches" his profile says summat like mi6 - it's him who wants to know how folk can get away with it btw. He didn't post the message. . Anyway, scroll down to see the picture. To be fair, that one seems to have been given pelters, but I believe that another post by someone else was attracting likes! Sick folk out there!
 
I read one post....whether it was written by one of these scumbags or not i dont know....but it was beyond despicable. How any one could hold an opinion this disgusting makes me shake my head in disbelief and anger. While i am glad to see these cretins prosecuted, i can also see @egb`s point. Where do you draw the line?

If it gets to the point of people being charged with hate crime for insulting anybody, i`ll have to stop posting on the fitba` board as i`d most likely be doing time for some of the stuff i`ve written about certain individuals.
 
Any reports of racist, offensive or abusive comments made online will be thoroughly investigated and those responsible will be brought to justice.

What part of this is not right in a civilised society?

The laws around the internet are already well established. Those who wish to publish on the internet need to abide by them.

If posting offensive or abusive comments online is going to result in court cases I think I'm looking at significant jailtime.

:lookaround:
 
It's definitely a slippery slope, and where is the line drawn. What about people that comment about child killers and rapists. I've read comments where people want to mutilate them, and hang them. These comments maybe be deserved, but by law, shouldn't the people making these statements not be treated the same?

You can say the same regarding comments on Jimmy Saville, and Thatcher. Maybe justified, but why no charges?
 
Stan Collymore attacks Twitter;

Collymore, 43, wrote: "In the last 24 hours I've been threatened with murder several times, demeaned on my race, and many of these accounts are still active. Why?

"I accuse Twitter directly of not doing enough to combat racist/homophobic/sexist hate messages, all of which are illegal in the UK.

"Several police forces have been fantastic. Twitter haven't. Dismayed."

Guardian

I agree with Collymore, that the people running these services (such as Twitter and Facebook) simply don't do enough to police what is going on in the cyber sphere. In general, I think people should not be hauled before the courts for "hate speech". But in cases where threats are made then a line has been crossed.

The problem with the internet is the anonymity of it. It allows any sad sack to spout any old guff in jest or sincere with no ramifications. If they get kicked off Twitter or their account is cancelled, they can just create a new one and carry on.
 
Stan Collymore attacks Twitter;



Guardian

I agree with Collymore, that the people running these services (such as Twitter and Facebook) simply don't do enough to police what is going on in the cyber sphere. In general, I think people should not be hauled before the courts for "hate speech". But in cases where threats are made then a line has been crossed.

The problem with the internet is the anonymity of it. It allows any sad sack to spout any old guff in jest or sincere with no ramifications. If they get kicked off Twitter or their account is cancelled, they can just create a new one and carry on.
I wonder what response Stan funds appropriate - perhaps against a yardstick of threatening to kill people in real life and burn their home. Or maybe battering women now and again.
 
I wonder what response Stan funds appropriate - perhaps against a yardstick of threatening to kill people in real life and burn their home. Or maybe battering women now and again.

I was not aware of his past.

What surprised me was that he has 500k+ followers.
 
I wonder what response Stan funds appropriate - perhaps against a yardstick of threatening to kill people in real life and burn their home. Or maybe battering women now and again.

As I remember it, to an audience, smashing her head off a bar counter a few times, then turning around, and doing the "Broony" whilst smiling, as his then lover slid to the floor.

Hero. :coffee:
 
Anyway, back on thread. It`s not like the old days when a bully could state something like..... "And if you tell anyone......I`ll fucking kill you." After beating the shit out of the skinny, plooky kid.

Only when later cornered by the authourita, to state, "He`s a liar Dad, honest. You know me. He`s a liar."

Sometimes, and only sometimes, an I.P. Address is a great thing. :bye

Pair of pricks. Hope they get nailed. FIRMLY! :coffee:
 
As I remember it, to an audience, smashing her head off a bar counter a few times, then turning around, and doing the "Broony" whilst smiling, as his then lover slid to the floor.

Hero. :coffee:

Am
I right in recalling the tartan army
Kicked his Canute in?
 
Am
I right in recalling the tartan army
Kicked his Canute in?

You Sir, I believe are correct.

I remember it that Der Polis had to rescue the fuck, after the un-named John Leslie non-fan, was treated, he copped it.

By locals also.

The only time "Better Together" worked.

I cannae find any proof, however herbally imbalanced, I`ll look the morra. :wink: