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Stephen Fry blasphemy probe dropped but it's not really a victory for reason
Stephen Fry blasphemy probe dropped after gardaí fail to find 'substantial number of outraged people'
Cathal McMahon
May 8 2017 5:57 PM
Gardaí have decided not to proceed with a blasphemy investigation against Stephen Fry after they failed to find a large group of people outraged by comments he made on an RTÉ show.
Detectives spoke to the man who made the original report this evening and confirmed they will not be carrying out further enquiries.
Independent.ie understands that detectives were unable to proceed with the investigation as there was no injured party.
Under the controversial legislation, introduced by then Justice Minister Dermot Ahern in 2009, it is illegal to publish or utter a matter that is "grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters sacred by any religion, thereby intentionally causing outrage among a substantial number of adherents of that religion".
A well-placed source said: "This man was simply a witness and not an injured party. Gardaí were unable to find a substantial number of outraged people.
***
Michael Nugent, Chairperson of Atheist Ireland said the reason for dropping this investigation is "even more dangerous than a prosecution would have been."
"This creates an incentive for people to demonstrate outrage when they see or hear something that they believe is blasphemous.
"It also shows that the police take our blasphemy law seriously, as indeed they should do, regardless of the nod and wink attitude of our legislators."
http://m.independent.ie/irish-news/stephen-fry-blasphemy-probe-dropped-after-garda-fail-to-find-substantial-number-of-outraged-people-35692915.html
Cathal McMahon
May 8 2017 5:57 PM
Gardaí have decided not to proceed with a blasphemy investigation against Stephen Fry after they failed to find a large group of people outraged by comments he made on an RTÉ show.
Detectives spoke to the man who made the original report this evening and confirmed they will not be carrying out further enquiries.
Independent.ie understands that detectives were unable to proceed with the investigation as there was no injured party.
Under the controversial legislation, introduced by then Justice Minister Dermot Ahern in 2009, it is illegal to publish or utter a matter that is "grossly abusive or insulting in relation to matters sacred by any religion, thereby intentionally causing outrage among a substantial number of adherents of that religion".
A well-placed source said: "This man was simply a witness and not an injured party. Gardaí were unable to find a substantial number of outraged people.
***
Michael Nugent, Chairperson of Atheist Ireland said the reason for dropping this investigation is "even more dangerous than a prosecution would have been."
"This creates an incentive for people to demonstrate outrage when they see or hear something that they believe is blasphemous.
"It also shows that the police take our blasphemy law seriously, as indeed they should do, regardless of the nod and wink attitude of our legislators."
http://m.independent.ie/irish-news/stephen-fry-blasphemy-probe-dropped-after-garda-fail-to-find-substantial-number-of-outraged-people-35692915.html
In other words if a 'large group of people' had been offended then Fry would have been prosecuted for criticizing a mythical deity.
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