With the lead up to remembrance Sunday, Question Time was in Newcastle this week. After the images emerged of the Muslim against Crusades group protesting and burning poppies, it prompted a lively discussion over the issues such as the rights of this group and in particular the extent of freedom of expression. This topic was particularly relevant with the home secretary, Theresa May, banning the group from midnight on Thursday evening.
As a first time voter, I felt it was Stephen Pollard, the editor of the Jewish chronicle, who was the most impressive of the panellists, as he was able to articulate his viewpoint with simplicity and evident knowledge of the subject. He outlined the central issue, stating that the group weren’t banned for simply ‘burning poppies’, but because they were in danger of in sighting ‘all kinds of racial hatred’ as well as committing public order offences. He also raised the question of whether Britain has the appropriate legislation in place to prevent these actions, bearing in mind this group is the same as last years ‘Islam4UK’, only renamed.
Scottish secretary Michael Moore summed the issue up nicely, stressing that freedom of expression, important as it is, has to have limits. When a group is promoting terrorism, it has crossed a line, therefore it is legitimate to take further steps.
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