Latest news with #racialHatred
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Salman Rushdie warns people are 'too eager to prohibit speech they disapprove of' as acclaimed author cautions against 'slippery slope' of cancel culture
Salman Rushdie has railed against those who attack free speech as he hit out at those that were 'too eager' to slap down voices they disapprove of. The Satanic Verses author, 77, warned of the 'very slippery slope' of cancel culture and urged to 'trust the audience to be able to make up their own minds'. Sir Salman issued the stark statement last week at the Hay Festival in Wales. In comments reported by The Observer, when asked about free speech, the Indian-born British author declared: 'I'm in favour of it.' And he also posed a question about the Lucy Connolly case, the wife of Conservative councillor Ray Connolly, who was handed a 31-month sentence after admitting posting an online rant about migrants hours after killer Axel Rudakubana murdered three young girls on July 29 last year. 'Here in Britain, we have the Race Relations Act, which makes it against the law to make racist statements. In the United States, there is the power of the First Amendment, which is why American racists are able to openly say what they have to say, and they're not prosecuted. 'The question is: which do you prefer?,' Sir Salman said. The 42-year-old former childminder deleted her post after four hours, but was arrested in August and pleaded guilty to a charge of inciting racial hatred in October. Mrs Connolly deleted her post and blamed it on 'a moment of extreme outrage and emotion' when she was acting on 'false and malicious' information She last month lost her appeal against her sentence, meaning she faces serving another eight months behind bars. It sparked a free speech row with Donald Trump ally and political commentator Charlie Kirk saying he was going to raise Connolly's case with the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Sir Salman last month said he was 'over' the horrific knife attack which left him blind in one eye after his attacker was jailed for 25 years. Hadi Matar, 27, was sentenced for attempted murder after he repeatedly stabbed the author on stage during a lecture in New York in 2022. Sir Salman recently told Radio 4's Today programme that he was 'pleased' the man who set out to kill him had received the maximum possible prison sentence. But he wishes to move on from the terrifying ordeal and focus on his new book coming out later this year. He also highlighted the ever increasing role AI is playing in society, and warned authors would be 'screwed' if the technology ever learned how to write a funny book. Speaking at the Hay Festival, he said: 'The machine can absorb a million jokes but it can't make one up, because you only get a version of the million old jokes. Hadi Matar, 27, was sentenced last month to 25 years for attempted murder after he repeatedly stabbed the author on stage during a lecture in New York in 2022 'Unfortunately, however, this thing learns very fast.' The award-winning Midnight's Children writer was left blind in one eye in the knife attack, had damage to his liver and was paralysed in one hand caused by nerve damage to his arm. The event had tight security, with sniffer dogs and bag searches. Once Sir Rushdie entered the stage to an audience of applause, he joked: 'I can't see everyone - but I can hear them.' Although he said he felt 'excellent' he added there 'were bits of me that I'm annoyed about, like not having a right eye. But on the whole, I've been very fortunate and I'm in better shape than maybe I would have expected.' Last year, he published a memoir called Knife about the ordeal, which he said was his way of 'fighting back'. It comes decades after the publication of his novel The Satanic Verses which made him the target of death threats as some Muslims consider blasphemous for its portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad. A short story collection called The Eleventh Hour is set to be released by the author in November.
Telegraph
27-05-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Lucy Connolly's supporters should be wary of framing her as a martyr
SIR – Once again, Jonathan Sumption is the voice of reason ('The case of Lucy Connolly shouldn't distract the defenders of free speech', Comment, May 2 7). I find it impossible to have any sympathy for a person who, like Lucy Connolly, advocates violence – no matter the circumstances. Her supporters have a just cause but the wrong martyr. Peter Little Herne Bay, Kent SIR – In calling Lucy Connolly's punishment for inciting racial hatred 'an attack on freedom of thought', D S A Murray (Letters, May 27) has rather missed the point. If Mrs Connolly had kept the thought to herself, there would have been no punishment. Her crime was to disseminate it using social media. John Pini KC Stamford, Lincolnshire SIR – In dismissing Lucy Connolly's case as clear-cut, I believe Lord Sumption is wrong. Judges use nuance and context as tools for passing judgment. Furthermore, swearing and strong language are part of the way we communicate. I would suggest that what Mrs Connolly wrote was not intended to be taken literally; rather, she was expressing her anguished state of mind, having previously lost a child of her own, among other possible factors. The state has no business in withdrawing her freedom. Marcus Lawrence Hillingdon, Middlesex SIR – The system has not made an example of Lucy Connolly. It has made a martyr of her. P J Carroll London SW17 SIR – In his attempted justification of the lengthy prison sentence handed to Lucy Connolly as a result of her unwise tweet, Lord Sumption evades the principal point. It is not that she is a free-speech martyr. Rather, the problem is the disproportionate length of her sentence, compared with some of those handed to people who have committed actual physical violence. Furthermore, the system wishes to keep her locked up when others whose crimes are more serious are released on licence to preserve their family relationships. William Tarver Wokingham, Berkshire SIR – Few would disagree with Lord Sumption that Lucy Connolly committed a serious offence, albeit in a fit of anger. Who can doubt that there have been similar intemperate, perhaps naïve, tirades elsewhere, including online? It is just that the severity of her sentence seems disproportionate. Paul Meredith Sevenoaks, Kent
The Sun
25-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
White House is ‘monitoring' case of Tory councillor's wife Lucy Connolly after she was jailed for racist Southport post
THE White House has said it is 'monitoring' the case of Lucy Connolly in an escalation of free speech tensions with Sir Keir Starmer. Judges threw out an appeal brought by the 42-year-old last week, meaning she will not be released before August. 3 The wife of Conservative councillor Ray Connolly was jailed for 31 months over a racist social media post about the Southport attacks. A spokesman for the state department said: 'We can confirm that we are monitoring this matter. 'The United States supports freedom of expression at home and abroad, and remains concerned about infringements on freedom of expression.' The former childminder deleted the post after four hours, but was arrested in August and pleaded guilty to a charge of inciting racial hatred in October. Trump ally Charlie Kirk raised the matter on GB News, saying he would inform Marco Rubio the secretary of state. He said: 'I just find it so outrageous that she is now going to jail for two and a half years for a deleted social media post that she apologised for. "As you guys (the UK) have birthed free speech to the world, you are now becoming a totalitarian country.' Connolly Merseyside. Connolly launched bid against her "harsh" sentence but this was thrown out by Court of Appeal judges on May 20. They ruled "there is no arguable basis on which it could be said that the sentence imposed by the judge was manifestly excessive". Dads of Southport victims run London Marathon Husband Ray said he was 'heartbroken' the appeal bid was dismissed, adding: 'My wife has paid a very high price for making a mistake and today the court has shown her no mercy'. Mr Connolly also called the decision to throw the bid out "shocking and unfair" and claimed his wife was the victim of "two-tier justice". He said: "The 284 days of separation have been very hard, particularly on our 12-year-old girl. Lucy posted one nasty tweet when she was upset and angry about three little girls who were brutally murdered in Southport. "She realised the tweet was wrong and deleted it within four hours. That did not mean Lucy was a 'far right thug' as Prime Minister Keir Starmer claimed. "My wife Lucy is a good person and not a racist. As a childminder she took care of small children of African and Asian heritage; they loved Lucy as she loved them. My wife has paid a very high price for making a mistake and today the court has shown her no mercy. "Lucy got more time in jail for one tweet than some paedophiles and domestic abusers get. I think the system wanted to make an example of Lucy so other people would be scared to say things about immigration. This is not the British way." While the Free Speech Union (FSU), which funded Connolly's appeal bid, said: "This is a deeply disappointing judgment. "No one disputes the tweet was offensive but the sentence of more than two-and-a-half years was plainly disproportionate. "Two-and-a-half years for a single tweet is grossly disproportionate and it should trouble anyone who believes the law must be applied evenly, without fear or favour." 3
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Boris Johnson warns that Starmer's Britain is 'turning into a police state' after mother who tweeted about Southport murders fails in her bid to have lengthy jail term slashed
Britain is becoming a police state under Labour, Boris Johnson warned last night. He spoke as a sentencing row erupted after a mother locked up for a tweet after the Southport murders failed in a bid to reduce her lengthy jail term. Lucy Connolly posted a vile message about migrants – but supporters point out that criminals found guilty of far more serious offences have been handed substantially shorter sentences. And former prime minister Mr Johnson warned that the country is 'losing its reputation for free speech' as a growing number of online rants draw the attention of police. Connolly, 42, had asked the Court of Appeal to free her early from a 31-month sentence for inciting racial hatred, imposed after she posted a tweet urging people to 'set fire to the hotels' on the day of the triple murder last summer. She posted it at a time of swirling misinformation online, including a claim that the knifeman who killed three girls was a small boat migrant – a false claim that would lead to weeks of race riots. Connolly's 'heartbroken' husband, Northampton Tory councillor Ray, insisted his wife was 'a good person... not a far-Right thug' as judges yesterday dismissed her appeal against her jail term. He condemned the system as 'two-tier justice' and said it was 'not the British way'. Mr Johnson blasted the 'crazy and inhuman judgment', warning: 'Starmer's Britain is losing its reputation for free speech and turning into a police state, where we must all learn to fear the knock on the door simply for something we say. 'The UK police are now making over 10,000 arrests every year for online comment, more than the police in Russia itself, and this judgment is yet another propaganda gift for Vladimir Putin.' Mother-of-one Connolly is currently at HMP Drake Hall, Staffordshire, for her post on X, formerly Twitter, which read: 'Mass deportation now, set fire to all the f****** hotels full of the b******* for all I that makes me racist so be it.' She is unlikely to be released until August. Her imprisonment led to protests by campaigners carrying placards declaring 'police our streets, not our tweets'. Supporters said her sickening tweet – posted hours after Cardiff-born killer Axel Rudakubana murdered three girls at a dance class on July 29 – was a 'stupid mistake' but compared her 'rotting in jail' with many violent thugs handed lighter prison terms. Connolly claimed she had no idea what she was admitting to when she pleaded guilty last October, an argument three senior judges found was unlikely. Last night Tory justice spokesman Robert Jenrick said: 'In recent months shoplifters with hundreds of prior convictions have avoided prison. 'A domestic abuser with 52 prior offences got off with a suspended sentence, as did a paedophile with 110,000 indecent images of children. Connolly's 'heartbroken' husband, Northampton Tory councillor Ray, pictured, insisted his wife was 'a good person... not a far-Right thug' as judges yesterday dismissed her appeal against her jail term. 'And yet Lucy Connolly has received a 31-month prison sentence for an appalling – albeit hastily deleted – message on social media. 'How on earth can you spend longer in prison for a tweet than violent crime? 'This crazy disparity will only fuel perception that we have a two-tier justice system where the law is enforced selectively.' Among the vile thugs who have received shorter sentences than Connolly was actual rioter Haris Ghaffar, who was given 20 months for the storming of a Birmingham pub. Speaking to The Telegraph yesterday, Connolly said from HMP Drake Hall: 'Shame on them. 'Those three judges that were sitting there in court should be ashamed of themselves, they are cruel.' After yesterday's ruling, Mr Connolly said: 'My wife Lucy is a good person and not a racist. Lucy got more time in jail for one tweet than some paedophiles and domestic abusers get. My wife has paid a very high price for making a mistake and today the court has shown no mercy'. He added: 'The 284 days of separation have been very hard, particularly on our 12-year-old girl. Lucy posted one nasty tweet when she was upset and angry about three little girls who were brutally murdered in Southport. 'She realised the tweet was wrong and deleted it within four hours. That did not mean Lucy was a 'far-Right thug' as Prime Minister Keir Starmer claimed. 'As a childminder, she took care of small children of African and Asian heritage; they loved Lucy as she loved them.' Mr Connolly said the system 'wanted to make an example of Lucy so others would be scared to say things about immigration'. Toby Young, the general secretary of the Free Speech Union, said: 'How can it be right for Lucy to have been condemned to spend more than two-and-a-half years in jail for a single tweet when members of grooming gangs who plead guilty to the sexual exploitation of children get lower sentences? 'Lucy should be at home with her daughter and husband, not rotting in jail.' The Free Speech Union said: 'No one disputes the tweet was offensive but the sentence of more than two-and-a-half years was plainly disproportionate.' Rupert Lowe, the former Reform MP now sitting as an Independent, called it 'morally repugnant to separate a mother from her children over one stupid social media post'. Writing to Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, he said: 'Who is being served by having Lucy Connolly in prison? It is definitely not the public, who I believe would feel far safer if a violent criminal was incarcerated in that cell.' Asked by broadcasters if free speech was dead in the UK, Sir Keir said: 'Firstly, I'm strongly in favour of free speech… and we protect it fiercely. 'I'm equally, though, against incitement to violence. That has long been an offence in our country, and rightly so.' The Southport atrocity sparked nationwide rioting. The tweet by Connolly was viewed 310,000 times in three-and-a-half hours before she deleted it. She later admitted at Birmingham Crown Court to distributing material with the intention of stirring up racial hatred. Last week she appealed against the sentence, telling the Court of Appeal in London she had no idea the full extent of what she was admitting. But yesterday Lord Justice Holroyde, sitting with Mr Justice Goss and Mr Justice Sheldon, said she 'had willingly pleaded guilty'. They found Connolly was an 'intelligent and articulate' woman… 'well aware of what she was admitting'.
Telegraph
08-05-2025
- Telegraph
Nine arrested over ‘Hitler birthday celebration in pub'
Nine people have been arrested after celebrating Hitler's birthday at a pub, police have said. The suspected neo-Nazis arrived at the Duke of Edinburgh in Oldham to mark the occasion with a swastika-emblazoned flag and a cake with icing of the same decoration. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the individuals were arrested on Wednesday morning on suspicion of offences including displaying written material that is threatening, abusive or insulting, and intended to stir up racial hatred. Officers recovered imitation firearms, weapons including swords and a crossbow, as well as Nazi memorabilia and materials, after attending addresses in Rochdale, Bolton, Trafford, Stockport and Southport. Police said they have been in contact with Counter Terrorism Policing North West which has offered advice on some of the materials that have been seized. A suspected grenade has since been declared safe with no risk to the public after the deployment of a bomb disposal unit in Bolton. On its website, 'British Movement' posted pictures of a 'Northwest platoon' gathering to celebrate the birthday of 'Uncle A' over the Easter weekend. Pictures were posted online, with the faces of their members pixelated out, showing them holding a flag covered in Nazi symbols. In a now-deleted post, a cake with swastika icing was also posted by the group. On its website, they describe themselves as 'a force for the preservation of white Aryan culture'. The group added that its members had gathered on a 'gorgeous sunny afternoon' to celebrate Hitler's 136th birthday. It described the celebration as 'one of many more to come'. 'Absolutely appalled' The pub's operator, Craft Union Pubs, said it was 'absolutely appalled' at the party and had been unaware of it going on after the group 'concealed' their clothing and activities. GMP said the investigation remains ongoing, with the suspects being held on suspicion of Section 18 Public Order Act offences. Assistant Chief Constable Steph Parker said: 'It's important that all avenues are explored to establish the extent of the criminal offences which have been committed, and whilst our investigation is still in its early stages, we do not believe there to be a risk to the wider public. 'This group clearly has a deep fascination with ideas that we know are unsettling for communities across Greater Manchester. 'We must take action when concerns are raised, and where weapons are suspected, to ensure people are free to live without fear of intimidation or harm. 'Public safety is at the forefront of our investigation, and as always, we ask that you remain vigilant, and if you have any information or concerns, then to contact us.'
