Stirring up racial hatred

[sheilarose]

Dear Admin

(I have tried e-mailing you privately, but I don't have Outlook installed and can't seem to do it.)

I see that you have removed some offensive posts from the Lounge. I was going to copy some of them and report the poster to the police for the offence outlined below. I think perhaps that you should consider doing so yourselves.

Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006

2006 CHAPTER 1

An Act to make provision about offences involving stirring up hatred against persons on racial or religious grounds.

[16th February 2006]

Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:?.

1Hatred against persons on religious grounds.

The Public Order Act 1986 (c. 64) is amended in accordance with the Schedule to this Act, which creates offences involving stirring up hatred against persons on religious grounds.

(1)This Act may be cited as the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006. .

(2)This Act comes into force on such day as the Secretary of State may appoint by order made by statutory instrument. .

(3)An order under subsection (2) may make? .

(a)such supplementary, incidental or consequential provision, or .

(b)such transitory, transitional or saving provision, .

as the Secretary of State considers appropriate in connection with the coming into force of this Act.

(4)This Act extends to England and Wales only. .

Annotations:

Section 1

SCHEDULEHatred against persons on religious grounds

.

In the Public Order Act 1986 (c. 64), after Part 3 insert?

?Part 3A Hatred against persons on religious grounds

Meaning of ?religious hatred?

29AMeaning of ?religious hatred?.

In this Part ?religious hatred? means hatred against a group of persons defined by reference to religious belief or lack of religious belief.

Acts intended to stir up religious hatred

29BUse of words or behaviour or display of written material.

(1)A person who uses threatening words or behaviour, or displays any written material which is threatening, is guilty of an offence if he intends thereby to stir up religious hatred. .

(2)An offence under this section may be committed in a public or a private place, except that no offence is committed where the words or behaviour are used, or the written material is displayed, by a person inside a dwelling and are not heard or seen except by other persons in that or another dwelling. .

(3)A constable may arrest without warrant anyone he reasonably suspects is committing an offence under this section. .

(4)In proceedings for an offence under this section it is a defence for the accused to prove that he was inside a dwelling and had no reason to believe that the words or behaviour used, or the written material displayed, would be heard or seen by a person outside that or any other dwelling. .

(5)This section does not apply to words or behaviour used, or written material displayed, solely for the purpose of being included in a programme service. .

29CPublishing or distributing written material.

(1)A person who publishes or distributes written material which is threatening is guilty of an offence if he intends thereby to stir up religious hatred. (my emphasis)

[Administrator]

The user has been banned and if you wish to report them to the police then we will of course assist.