Can you insult the police?
Discussion
“Auditor” AKA loser.
Define “insulting”. It has rather wide scope.
The answer is pretty much yes, as long as it’s not “extreme insulting” - something like flat out racism.
IIRC “insulting” was removed from S5 POA (which the police have a higher threshold for anyway).
Not 100% on the ID aspect. Safe bet would be to go with the collar number.
Define “insulting”. It has rather wide scope.
The answer is pretty much yes, as long as it’s not “extreme insulting” - something like flat out racism.
IIRC “insulting” was removed from S5 POA (which the police have a higher threshold for anyway).
Not 100% on the ID aspect. Safe bet would be to go with the collar number.
There was a case when an officer arrested someone under section 5 of the public order act for repeated swearing and the judge threw it out because I believe the section covers 'where likely to offend' and the judge considered that an officer would normally hear so much 'offensive' language that they are 'not likely' to be offended.
Not sure what the rule is if a person says they are offended, but with the word 'f
k' being used on radio 4 in normal hours and in newspapers, you could argue its normal parlance and not offensive, so telling an officer to fk off can't be seen as likely to offend.
Ah, this one https://www.6kbw.com/publications/articles/section...
it hinged on noone else being in earshot and the officer was not likely to be offended but judged that the word itself is still offensive.
So i suppose, the answer is no, just like anyone else, you 'can't' insult a policeman without risk of prosecution but the threshold is much higher.
Not sure what the rule is if a person says they are offended, but with the word 'f
k' being used on radio 4 in normal hours and in newspapers, you could argue its normal parlance and not offensive, so telling an officer to fk off can't be seen as likely to offend.Ah, this one https://www.6kbw.com/publications/articles/section...
it hinged on noone else being in earshot and the officer was not likely to be offended but judged that the word itself is still offensive.
So i suppose, the answer is no, just like anyone else, you 'can't' insult a policeman without risk of prosecution but the threshold is much higher.
Edited by Gary C on Wednesday 30th December 12:13
You could try telling them that they were no better than an average pub band, who simply got lucky.
However, I think Sting and his fellow band members would point to their numerous platinum, gold and silver albums, along with over 100 Million records sold Worldwide, and tell you that you're talking cr4p!
However, I think Sting and his fellow band members would point to their numerous platinum, gold and silver albums, along with over 100 Million records sold Worldwide, and tell you that you're talking cr4p!
The Spruce Goose said:
I won't post the link as don't want to drive traffic, but they basically go to prisons and police stations to film, to hopefully get in confrontation with the police. One calls them pig and bacon etc, says it is legal.
Scotland has the below legislation which is used in instances such as this instead of the good old Breach of the Peace. If he used that language towards an officer he would find himself at the very least with an ASBO ticket. If he refused to desist, then he'd be arrested. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2010/13/section...
If i remember correctly, this legislation was brought in due to circumstances similar to what Gary C above described, although I believe it was more for the protection of domestic abuse victims, where is had previously been successfully argued in court that certain language used by suspects was accepted as normal by the victim and therefore not abusive or disorderly. This legislation changed it to what a reasonable person would believe to be abusive.
Edited by Terzo123 on Wednesday 30th December 12:30
Edited by Terzo123 on Wednesday 30th December 12:30
The Spruce Goose said:
eldar said:
How much is very lucrative?
Well a few k a month is a decent wage for 90% of the population. Travelling to a place and filming a few hours and earning thousands is very lucrative, which is why there has been a glut of them.I imagine it'll be ads that won't be directly associated with the content so the revenue will likely be lower, too.
sunbeam alpine said:
Some European countries (Belgium, Holland and Germany I know - can't comment on others) have this as a specific offence. It can also be applied in the case of refusing to comply with instructions given by a police officer. Used to be a €150 on-the-spot fine.
Would need to be a legal instruction though surely?Ie "stop filming in this public place and go away because I don't want what I'm doing to be recorded"
Not sure that's legal in the UK? Might be on the continent.
Seen on the various police fly on wall shows a dispersal orders to get drunks home instead of causing trouble (in the time from before)
I recall a pub truism that officers have to show badge numbers, but have also seen videos of the futility of an arrested protestor demanding (hidden) collar numbers whilst being sat on. One of those "theory meets reality" moments
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