Losing our freedom! 2 Brits Get 4 Years for Facebook

Listen to me.
These guys got 4 years in prison for something they typed!
They called for riots that never happened.
One guy took down his Facebook post the next day calling it a joke and still got 4 years.
We need to protest this! Our freedom of speech is being attacked!
www.newser.com...

David Cameron's actions are one of the reasons we'll all be thrown into Civil War.
Not just in the U.K.

He is disregarding the procedures of civil rights and justice.
www.guardian.co.uk...

I would like to move this thread to the correct section but how?

I think anyone who uses facebook full stop should be put in a mental hospital,with a straight jacket,whether they called for riots or not.

david cameroon trying to act tough and telling judges to lock um up for a long ass time so he can win more votes cause we all no hes a compleat n utter tosser

David Cameron and the coalition government need stopping, and our freedoms protected

Everbody should make events for towns in England.

Are they goign to give EVERYBODY 4 years?

want to test that theory?

Once everybody starts making events in Facebook for this, perhaps it will make a mockery of the sentencing and they get out on appeal.

FLOOD THE SYSTEM with events they are abusing.

Just because they didnt happen, doesn't mean they get off scot free. Its not taking away freedom of speech, you cant say "Im gonna murder your family!" and try to hire someone to go do it, even if it doesnt work.

They tried to incite a riot, which is illegal

freedom of speech has limitations. it does not mean you can say whatever you want whenever you want without legal repercussions

if they were jailed for critcising the gov't, I would be with you. but in this day and age, what they did was as dumb as yelling out "I have a bomb !" on an airplane

reply to post by ren1999


What happened to freedom of speech?
I dont care if inciting a riot is against the law - it is a stupid law - people should be responsible for their own actions. To imply they tried to incite a riot suggest they had some control they were trying to exhibit over others, which they did not.

People tell people to go kill themselves - is this inciting suicide?
Politicans tell people to vote for them - is this inciting election fraud?

Telling people to do something should never be a crime, forcing someone to do something or someone doing something illegal should be the only crime.

They should stop trying to enforce laws like this that make no sense and are impossible to enforce fairly. They don't have the power to control everything everyone says and they shouldnt.
Don't fall for their trap of saying it is law - we are the common law, and we need to tell them it is not right.

They should have just labeled it fiction. I doubt that would have worked, but apparently you can publish anything if it is fiction. I can't believe those sentences. That is absolutely inexcusable in my opinion. Whoever said that whether or not the riots happened, and compared it with hiring someone to murder someone else, I want you to know that I don't think they are the same.

Saying you want to kill someone, and then hiring someone to do it is different from saying you want to kill someone and then having someone do it unbeknown st to you. That is what we are dealing with in this situation. Think about music. Especially rap music. Worse things are talked about than riots, and these artists aren't being jailed for the things that people do which were incited by them. That is why this is ridiculous. It is the double standard. Because these guys probably were not celebrities, or filthy rich.

Originally posted by byteshertz
reply to post by ren1999

 

What happened to freedom of speech?

What happened to it? We have never had it in this country! It is the consequence of having no codified constitution a la the United States. setting out immutable laws/rights of citizens. Parliament creates laws and all newer laws supercede older laws. If the government passes a bill declaring the wearing of purple to be illegal, it is illegal. There is no safeguards to our "personal freedoms".

The British political system has always been ripe for abuse by elected tyrants and always will be.

Their own damn fault, shouldn't have posted it.

The sentence may seem harsh for posting something online but considering the majority of Brits are still reeling and shocked that thugs could destroy not just our country's reputation but homes and businesses (as well as the deaths and murders caused) and want justice then I hope the 4 years are well spent behind bars.

It's the least they deserve and good on David Cameron and his boys as well as the police and judges because if it was a previous government, they'd all be let off with light sentences or not arrested at all.

No civil war here and if there is, then those causing it will be in the minority like the views expressed by Brits on ATS seemingly in support of the rioting, looting and murders that took place last week are in the minority too while the rest of the country applauds this kind of tough sentencing.

First, why would anyone use their REAL identity to spread fictitious animosity on a popular social network? Second, who cares? Third, stop using Facebook; step away from the computer; and get a REAL life and some exercise outdoors.

Freedom of speech doesn't give you the right to yell fire in a crowded theater. If these guys broke the law than it's their fault and they should have known better.

If you don't agree with the law than work on getting it changed but you shouldn't criticize the system for doing it's job.

I disagree with some of your comments.
Just keep in mind that all of us need to be careful what we say on the Internet from now on.
Especially if you question the establishment and the rich.

People stalk and threaten people all the time on the Net and they never get in trouble.
Yet these 2 Brits get 4 years in jail.

If he is gonna get tough then start with the MP's that looted the people's money for imaginary second homes etc. Bunch of private schoolboy crooks. Let's bring them down, let them see what the views like from the bottom. They have been keeping us poor down for decades by giving us a useless education while the private schools have been teaching them the likes of Politics and Banking skills.

Whhhhaaat???? This is BS man! I say we take to the streets! We need to protest this action, right outside the jail and courthouse where these injustices are taking place. Who's with me?!

Good thing this isn't Facebook. Apparently the laws are different depending on what website you are on. People incite riots and revolutions all the time on the internet. But Facebook is popular, and your revolutionary views might be spread more easily. If every ats member got on facebook and started spreading truth... Could you imagine? Not inciting riots. Just post links to informative articles like the one recently made about the history of banking.

The sentence they got is deserved and it will be a great deterant.

What they called for was national terrorism, people could have been hurt or even killed.

Answer this. If they had called for riots in your area and they did happen, and the rioters burnt your house down, would you be so happy for people to use free speech to incite violence then?

reply to post by DAZ21


So four years for Freedom of speech is alright? How many times have you said something that wasn't great but didn't get four years for?