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Man parades ISIS flag outside UK Parliament - Police do nothing

http://metro.co.uk/2015/07/05/man-and-child-pictured-with-isis-flags-outside-houses-of-parliament-5281207/

I can't help but think that if this was a Nazi swastika flag, the guy would have been arrested immediately and the flag confiscated and/or destroyed.

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Reply 1
well he didn't do anything
Reply 2
Bear in mind, most people wouldn't recognise an ISIS flag if they saw one! Everybody knows what a swastika is!
Original post by Pride
Bear in mind, most people wouldn't recognise an ISIS flag if they saw one! Everybody knows what a swastika is!


So?
Reply 4
Shocking.

Public support for ISIS should see you arrested.
Reply 5
Original post by Lady Comstock
So?


Oh, sorry I'll explain.

If people don't know what an ISIS flag look like, the police officers aren't going to know what it looks like. Therefore they won't approach whoever it is flying one. I mean, it would be wrong to stop people flying a flag just because it has some Arabic writing on it. You have to know that it's specifically an ISIS emblem.
Reply 6
Original post by Rakas21
Shocking.

Public support for ISIS should see you arrested.


Out of interest, what do you think would be the purpose of arresting public ISIS supporters?
Original post by Pride
Oh, sorry I'll explain.

If people don't know what an ISIS flag look like, the police officers aren't going to know what it looks like. Therefore they won't approach whoever it is flying one. I mean, it would be wrong to stop people flying a flag just because it has some Arabic writing on it. You have to know that it's specifically an ISIS emblem.


People clearly did know what kind of flag it was and were distressed by it; just because every person does not know or feel the same way about it is beside the point. You could say the same thing about Hindu swastikas.
Original post by Pride
Out of interest, what do you think would be the purpose of arresting public ISIS supporters?


To show that support of a proscribed, terrorist organisation will not be tolerated? To show that threatening symbols that distress members of the public will not be tolerated? To show that Britain is cracking down on Islamic extremism? To enable members of the public to feel safe walking through tourist spots? Etc, etc.
It shocks and saddens me to see this. That child is growing up with parents who support the destruction of innocent people. She is learning from them that terrorism is good, that the Tunisia deaths were OK.

And she is most likely in school in this country, or will be. This is terrifying.

I agree that he should have been arrested, and that public support of ISIS should result in arrest and even deporting every time. Why are we tolerating this?
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 10
muslims...
Wow
I hate this
Why didn't they arrest him please?



Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by TheSeal
muslims...


I'm a Muslim and I'm against this :/
You can't just generalise all Muslims to be terrorists



Posted from TSR Mobile
Surprised someone didn't beat him up tbh. Displaying the ISIS flag is very likely to induce panic. It should be proscribed. Clearly as the law stands the man was not doing anything illegal so there were no grounds for arresting him. I guess you could argue for hate speech or breach of the peace.
It reminded me of the story of a man in New Jersey (who wasn't a jihadist) who used the ISIS flag (before it was used by ISIS) for 10 years each Ramadan and his neighbours were fine with it. Then one day people started to accuse him of supporting ISIS, as he somehow hadn't known after a year of ISIS being on the news what the flag was being used for.
Original post by scrotgrot
Surprised someone didn't beat him up tbh. Displaying the ISIS flag is very likely to induce panic. It should be proscribed. Clearly as the law stands the man was not doing anything illegal so there were no grounds for arresting him. I guess you could argue for hate speech or breach of the peace.


That's debatable as you note in your final sentence. The Home Office have said they disagree with this "operational decision".
This is a free country and everyone should have the right to freedom of speech and expression, including carrying Da'esh flags and indeed swastikas. While such actions are abominable, it is equally abominable to forbid them.
Acticle 10 of the Human Right Act allows freedom of expression, no matter how disgusting said views,
Original post by Lady Comstock
That's debatable as you note in your final sentence. The Home Office have said they disagree with this "operational decision".


I thought they can't do anything unless he was promoting jihadist ideology. Same goes for the Nazi flag- it by itself isn't illegal unless you use it as part of your message to spread hate.
Original post by SonicOfPron
Acticle 10 of the Human Right Act allows freedom of expression, no matter how disgusting said views,


Please look at Article 10(2) then come back to us, and then check domestic UK law on supporting proscribed groups and public order offences.

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