Brickbat: London's Burning

World History Archive/Newscom

British police have arrested five people on suspicion of a public order offense after video of them burning a mock-up of the Grenfell Tower in a bonfire went viral. The Grenfell Tower, a residential building, burned in 2017 killing 72 people. Prime Minister Theresa May was among those who condemned the individuals in the video.

Comments

[Adans smith]

A public order offense? Sounds like a catch all phrase. Enabling Act much?

[Radioactive]

also called the "we don't like it" statute...

[SQRLSY One]

AKA the "we are not amused" offense!

[Juice]

Disorderly conduct.

[Rat on a train]

Burning cardboard is a gateway to hardwood. It's best to intervene early.

[Jerryskids]

Disgusted viewers of the footage described it as "sick" and said that those responsible had "no shame."

Shhhh, don't anybody tell them about 'Two Birds, One Cuppa."

[DiegoF]

Theresa May is an ugly old crone so she can condemn all she wants; she will not evade scrutiny of the government (this was a housing project) for one of the UK's most infamous scandalous tragedies.

Now if she were a tall, dark, and handsome young fella, she would not only condemn the individuals who made the video; she would assert that the video itself caused the Grenfell Tower fire. That is how it is done.

[Cynical Asshole]

she will not evade scrutiny of the government (this was a housing project) for one of the UK's most infamous scandalous tragedies.

I suspect that' the real reason why the people in the video were charged. Their real offense was reminding everyone of the government's fuck up. They can't have that.

[Fist of Etiquette]

And that's why the revolutionary war.

[BigT]

The Evening Standard has chosen not to show the effigy in flames.

Did it contain a cartoon of Mohammed?

[BigT]

They should stick to burning crosses!

[SQRLSY One]

Let's be fair now...

We have way-plenty assholes on this side of the Big Pond who get the same way about flag-burning...

...but only if it is the USA flag, Un-American flags, burn 'em away!

[BigT]

Where have you gone, John Cleese?

[Conchfritters]

Shit hole country.

[Alcibiades]

Don't be stupid be a smarty come and join the Nazi Party:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england
-oxfordshire-46151838

Seriously, after that hilarious nazi-saluting dog video is it actually legal now in the UK to have or view The Producers?

[Robert]

Of course, because Mel Brooks, rather than some relative-nobody local comedian.

[IceTrey]

It's not a hate crime it's a thoughtcrime. "1984" has arrived.

[Jerry B.]

And, as far as I can find, no one has yet been arrested or charged relating to the actual Grenfell fire.

[Alcibiades]

And just as those at high oversight levels in charge of protecting minors in their Rotherham mass rape of girls (approx 1400) by British Pakastani men scandal suffered no legal consequences and, in fact , went on to better paying positions involving...the protection of children!

[Griffin3]

Wow, I read through the (wikipedia definition of the) offense, and I can't even:

Public Order Offense

Depending on your definition of "threatening or abusive", this would seem to criminalize every protest against anything, ever.

Although, I did find a wonderful gem, in the offense of "affray", which is one of the offenses the PBA1986 replaces, it punishes threats "would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at the scene to fear for his personal safety". In addition to bursting out in Beavis and Butthead laughter at the phrase "reasonable firmness", it also makes me think that pushing 30% of the US population lacks that particular character (higher in the UK, it seems, sorry poofs guys)

[Alcibiades]

"Depending on your definition of "threatening or abusive", this would seem to criminalize every protest against anything, ever."

Exactly

[Robert]

Well, every bit of protest or satire that goes against anyone still alive or recently dead. See, they have this Bonfire Night when you're supposed (patriotically speaking) to satirize something that took place long ago or that has no local champion today. But if they decide after the fact that what you actually satirized bothered the wrong people now, it's an arrestable offense.

[Robert]

What it comes to is that you're supposed to punch down, not up.

[General_Tso]

Distasteful, but shouldn't be illegal.

[Deconstructed Potato]

Brendan O'Neill's thoughts here.