SultanOfSwing

I did say it was anecdotal ...

Furthermore, I consider this to be a good thing, with respect to the UK.

He should have never had to apologise - Torres was fighting like a girl. That's because he is one. Fowler was spot on with that one ...

It wouldn't have to be a state law if it wasn't a state trooper. Any city cop could arrest you for breach of the peace if he felt like it.

That was tongue in cheek, but I still wouldn't try it, just in case.

hungryhorace

That's irrelevant to the point I am making though. A poster stated there's no difference between Freedom of Speech in the UK compared to the USA. I'm demonstrating there are clear differences.

Nutek

Monocles.

Pulaski

And how is it functionally different from the brutal "trailer v non-trailer" caste system in the US?

hungryhorace

City cops are still governed by state laws, which again are ALWAYS sub-servant to Federal law. So, again, what law would be used? I'm sorry for pushing this, but I feel I have to to make the point explicit: freedom of speech protections in the United States allow you to make comments like that to police officers, regardless of whether they arrest you for it or not, Federal Constitution protections would ultimately protect you from conviction.

Sally Redux

hungryhorace

Of course he was! 100% spot on, as you say! Yet, he's still forced to apologise. That's my point: England has become a state where the right to offend is now subservant to the right to NOT be offended.

Causing 'offence' was recently a criminal offence in England and Wales, did you know that?

The complete reverse is in place in America.

Pulaski

So that's why nobody is ever wrongfully convicted in the US.

hungryhorace

I'm not arguing that what I state works every time, I'm just saying that that's the theory. You couldn't attempt to argue that theory in England & Wales, and that's the concern.

hungryhorace

There's just a have and a have not system here, as far as I can make out. The UK system, as we're both aware, is inherently different.

Bob

Still get a ticket for blasphemy in Boston, so it's not all free speech and roses :/

SultanOfSwing

Ah, now you said 'conviction' but the cop can still arrest you for it, even if you are released without charge later on. That was my point.

Furthermore, look up the definition of 'anecdotal' with respect to my other post.

Only partially correct. You can offend blacks, gays and women as much as you like here in the US, but the god botherers are untouchable.

hungryhorace

Surely not, Bob? That's absolutely going to be protected under the 1st Amendment.

robin1234

Exactly.
"I'm just saying that that's the theory."
That is the weakness with all your posts over the last three pages of this thread. In practice, my anecdotal experience is that the UK is a much freer country than the US.

hungryhorace

My experience is different, and even then regardless of our personal experiences, it's case law that we should be guided by. In that respect, the USA is fundamentally different to the UK with regards to freedom of speech. Which brings us nicely back to the original point made.