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sir pball

(5,367 posts) Mon Nov 12, 2012, 02:27 PM Nov 2012

UK man arrested for posting burning poppy picture on Facebook [View all]

A teenager arrested on Remembrance Sunday on suspicion of posting a picture of a burning poppy on Facebook is being questioned by police.

The 19-year-old was held after the image of a poppy being set ablaze by a lighter was reportedly posted online with the caption: "How about that you squadey cunts".
...
Jamie's Pants, under @thisisrjg, tweeted: "We do not have a right to not be offended. We certainly don't have a right to lock up someone for offending some people," while Thom Lumley, tweeting as @Hotstepperrr, wrote: "Dear idiots at Kent Police, burning a poppy may be obnoxious, but it is not a criminal offence."

David Allen Green, a journalist and lawyer for the New Statesman, tweeting as Jack of Kent, wrote: "What was the point of winning either World War if, in 2012, someone can be casually arrested by Kent Police for burning a poppy?"

Poppies are the symbol of Remembrance/Armistice/Vet's day in Europe; yes it's offensive as hell, but...really? Stay classy, UK.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/nov/12/teenager-arrested-burning-poppy-facebook

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UK man arrested for posting burning poppy picture on Facebook [View all] sir pball Nov 2012 OP

why are poppies "offensive as hell"? nt msongs Nov 2012 #1

i thinkthink its the burning of it that is offensive loli phabay Nov 2012 #4

Poppies are worn on lapels to symbolize due reverence for fallen soldiers. redqueen Nov 2012 #8

yup they signify the poppy fields of france which flourished after ww1 on the shelled earth loli phabay Nov 2012 #13

"Flander's Fields the poppies grow to mark the Dead" Bandit Nov 2012 #33

Belgium not France nt Mec9000 Nov 2012 #69

i guess my geography of flanders field must be wrong not loli phabay Nov 2012 #70

Poppies all bloom in early Spring. Wearing (fake) ones in November never made sense to me. slackmaster Nov 2012 #35

read upthread its to signify the green fields of france were the red poppies dance loli phabay Nov 2012 #42

I'm well aware of the story and the symbolism. They make sense on Memorial Day in May. slackmaster Nov 2012 #47

the commonwealth dosent have memorial day just armisice day in nov loli phabay Nov 2012 #49

I used to know some older people who referred to it as Armistice Day in the US slackmaster Nov 2012 #50

remembrance poppy (papaver rhoeas) moxie.lu Nov 2012 #10

While I definitely think that's an insane overreaction.. Posteritatis Nov 2012 #19

It's an act of insensitive fuckery so colossal. . sir pball Nov 2012 #53

Agreed on both counts. Posteritatis Nov 2012 #56

"Pissed me off" is an understatement. sir pball Nov 2012 #72

For the record sir pball Nov 2012 #73

I did mean burning them on 11/11, not the flowers themselves. nt sir pball Nov 2012 #30

Poppys are the symbol of fallen UK servicemembers. backscatter712 Nov 2012 #58

This idiotic arrest is the logical outcome of laws banning Koran desecration. snagglepuss Nov 2012 #2

good point loli phabay Nov 2012 #7

Which laws, where? Turborama Nov 2012 #11

Encompassed within uk hate crime laws dipsydoodle Nov 2012 #17

yup a lot of pongos matelows and cpraphats will be looking for him loli phabay Nov 2012 #24

They will given time dipsydoodle Nov 2012 #27

But the poster I was replying to was being specific Turborama Nov 2012 #63

I can only assume dipsydoodle Nov 2012 #64

I refer you to the UK 2010 law regarding inciting racial hatred snagglepuss Nov 2012 #18

A link to a letter to an Islam hater and an article about an arrest for inciting religious hatred Turborama Nov 2012 #65

Dawkins hates Muslims? Utter piffle. What Dawkins doesn't like is Islam which snagglepuss Nov 2012 #66

Corrected Turborama Nov 2012 #68

This arrest is simply beyond the pale. WinkyDink Nov 2012 #3

"Please don't burn me, bro." - Poppy (R - CIA) Berlum Nov 2012 #5

LOL! merrily Nov 2012 #12

:) BainsBane Nov 2012 #61

I read that as 'puppy' B2G Nov 2012 #6

I read it as "poopy." merrily Nov 2012 #16

As did I dipsydoodle Nov 2012 #22

Between puppy and poopy, we're a good bet to miss the point of the OP! merrily Nov 2012 #36

Kent dipsydoodle Nov 2012 #9

Of course, disrespecting veterans is a criminal offense merrily Nov 2012 #14

sqaddy is a nickname for members of the british army. infantry in parpticular. loli phabay Nov 2012 #25

In that case, are we sure the spelling police weren't the ones who arrested him? merrily Nov 2012 #38

lol ironic that i spelled it wrong as well theres a q in there loli phabay Nov 2012 #40

damn double fail i meant a u loli phabay Nov 2012 #45

It was deliberately provocative act about a very sensitive topic on a very sombre day.. truebrit71 Nov 2012 #15

"if the shoe was on the other foot and John Terry had been called a "stupid white cunt" no-one merrily Nov 2012 #20

Not one single eyelid dipsydoodle Nov 2012 #21

Just to be clear, are you referring to "cunt" or "white?" (Please see my reply 31.) merrily Nov 2012 #34

Well white on its own wouldn't cause any more concern dipsydoodle Nov 2012 #48

no one would have said a thing not even the match referee loli phabay Nov 2012 #26

Please see my reply 31. merrily Nov 2012 #32

No. The 'C' word doesnt have nearly the offensive connotation in the UK that it does here. stevenleser Nov 2012 #28

i explained that fanny is actually a worse insult in scotland it will get you stabbed loli phabay Nov 2012 #29

I was not referring to the c word or feminists. I was referring to the w word (white). merrily Nov 2012 #31

Not one that would have resulted in a week long trial, no... truebrit71 Nov 2012 #57

Here's the thing though, if it'd been someone insulting John Terry? Spider Jerusalem Nov 2012 #67

I agree...partially... truebrit71 Nov 2012 #75

The scary thing about this type of arrest, Nye Bevan Nov 2012 #23

I thought it was about Opium! maxsolomon Nov 2012 #37

Reminds me of the Wizard of Oz movie. merrily Nov 2012 #39

+1 Blue_Tires Nov 2012 #55

Really David Cameron? Brighton Left Nov 2012 #41

The troops who died were doing their job dipsydoodle Nov 2012 #44

"calculated and deliberate" insult to the dead Generic Other Nov 2012 #43

its much deeper than offending the dead by burning flowers loli phabay Nov 2012 #46

You must be unaware that "disrespect" is not illegal nor does it require apologies. Are you saying WinkyDink Nov 2012 #54

nothing to do with insane they just take this seriously. not murdered but if found loli phabay Nov 2012 #59

And one well deserved sir pball Nov 2012 #74

You are very sick nt tama Nov 2012 #78

Never said I was a nice guy sir pball Nov 2012 #79

Painful lessons about not being a dick or "not a nice guy" tama Nov 2012 #80

How is this any different than Quantess Nov 2012 #51

That is the best analogy. It's not like just burning a flag. It's hating an idea. Bucky Nov 2012 #60

While the act was incredibly stupid, the arrest is just as troubling. n/t geardaddy Nov 2012 #52

More so BainsBane Nov 2012 #62

I thought this was going to be about Bush, Sr. morningfog Nov 2012 #71

Why would burning Poppy Bush be offensive? nt valerief Nov 2012 #76

EEK!! Whats next?? Boiled cabbages? Baked potatos? Barbecued onions? Ground wheat? Tierra_y_Libertad Nov 2012 #77