UK government under fire for restricting free speech: "exercise caution before speaking"

The Labour Party government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has been criticized for weakening free speech safeguards in the name of safety and for not addressing selective law enforcement.

"Lois McLatchie Miller, Senior Legal Communications Officer for Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) U.K., stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that while every Brit has the right to free speech, a growing trend has emerged where certain groups with specific beliefs have their free speech curtailed more easily than others with differing viewpoints."

The debate about free speech was reignited due to the heavy-handed approach taken in response to the widespread riots in England last month.

For years, the U.K. has faced criticism for its strict enforcement of online speech. In 2019, ex-police officer Harry Miller was investigated over social media posts that were deemed transphobic. Despite questioning the authenticity of transgender women, Miller's posts were recorded as a "non-crime hate incident" by the police. This prompted Miller to challenge the designation in court. In 2020, the U.K. court ruled in Miller's favor but did not change the guidelines that allow police to pursue individuals over online comments.

In a parliamentary speech, Nigel Farage criticized the inconsistent application of the law and the two-tier policing and justice system.

The government issued a reminder of offensive and threatening content laws and warned citizens to be cautious when posting on social media, with imprisonment as a consequence. The Crown Prosecution Service posted a warning on social media platform X, which was amplified by the government's official accounts, urging citizens to think before they post.

"The CPS is committed to prosecuting online violence and will do so if the legal criteria are met. It is important to share content responsibly to avoid legal consequences. The British government is taking a tough stance on individuals who share social media posts about the U.K. riots that are deemed to incite racial hatred."

The government is taking steps to hold social media companies accountable for "legal but harmful" content, while also cracking down on "fake news" to prevent social unrest. The new measures will expand the scope of Britain's Online Safety Act.

Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, urged the government to promptly amend the online safety law, stating that it is inadequate at present.

"According to Khan, the government has quickly realized that the Online Safety Act requires amendments. Khan believes that the government should act quickly to determine if the act is suitable. Khan believes that the act is not suitable."

In the U.K., concerns about free speech go beyond online activity, with inconsistent treatment of various viewpoints and political demonstrations.

"This isn't 1984, but 2024."

Two pro-Israel counter-protesters, Mark Birbeck and Niyak Ghorbani, were arrested during a pro-Hamas march in London for allegedly breaching the peace. Their presence led to the march being paused, and they were arrested after a struggle with police officers.

Ghorbani, an Iranian dissident known for opposing Hamas, was tried to be banned from attending future anti-Israel protests by London's Metropolitan Police as part of his bail conditions after his arrest. However, a court ruled in April that these conditions were not proportionate or necessary. On social media, some have referred to the new prime minister as "Two-tier Kier" in response to his policies.

"While environmental protesters, such as Stop Oil activists, and pro-Palestinian protesters, including some who support Hamas, are often given a wide berth to express their beliefs, sometimes using violent language, Christians who go out to pray near places of worship often face much stricter restrictions."

A Christian pastor who occasionally engages in street evangelism, Dia Moodley, was forced to sue the local police after the force prohibited him from making any comments about other religions or comparing them to Christianity, and from making any comments about beliefs held by Atheists or those who believe in evolution. Moodley won in court earlier this year, and the police admitted that the restrictions on free speech they imposed on Moodley were "disproportionate."

‘Two-tier Kier’ is how some on social media have responded to the new prime minister's policies.

Adam Smith-Connor, who served in Afghanistan to protect fundamental freedoms, was prosecuted for silent prayer, which is not a crime. This move by the U.K. government towards "thought-policing" is a violation of individual rights and freedom of expression. This is not 1984, but 2024, and the determination of the state to suppress even silent Christian beliefs while allowing the free expression of other views is clearly exposed.

The government's stance against free speech, particularly its decision to pause and potentially scrap the free speech law in higher education due to safety concerns, is facing increasing opposition.

Seven Nobel laureates and over 600 academics signed a letter to the government urging them to reconsider their decision to scrap a law protecting students' and academics' free speech rights on campus, according to the Times of London.

The decision to stop [the act] seems to indicate that many opponents believe there is no "free speech problem" in U.K. universities. However, this is completely false. Over the past 20 years, hundreds of academics and students have been harassed, censored, silenced, or fired for expressing legal opinions.