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nigerian1981

So much for the sanctimonious clap trap about the sanctity of freedom of speech after Salman Rushdie’s stabbing.

Note that this is the UK's republicans - those opposing the monarchy. Was there commentary in the UK after the stabbing? One can view these comments at this time as incitement-to-riot, or you could view arresting them as protecting-them-from-the-mob. Check whether they are release in a few days or even a few hours.

Bottom line, this was not genuine disruption, simply the expressing of unpopular opinions by single individuals out loud. In the main case discussed, nobody even heard the opinion except the few people nearby in the crowd, and apparently some policemen.

In other words, suppression of dissenting speech by the state. Something that seems more like a dictatorship than a modern democracy.

> more like a dictatorship than a modern democracy.

Always has been.

Should never have happened, and isn't being rolled back fully, but for the main reported the guy has at least now been "de-arrested" (which is a thing here in the UK).

Personally I don't think this was official policy, just over-zealous individual police-persons.

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