Street preachers have been arrested, a woman was arrested for silently praying.

"The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it." [Orwell]

Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak within the limitations imposed upon you by those with power. It is therefore oxymoronic and something I've long held umbrage with.

The likes of Alex Jones fall victim where a populous is so devastatingly idiotic, considerable portions of it are likely to be encouraged to action by whatever they hear, or even that they may disastrously misinterpret. As opposed to tackling anything dangerous or just downright nuts, it is perhaps safer and far more effective to nullify the source so as to prevent or mitigate anarchy and worse.

The issue with the above comes where the determination of what is necessary to be nullified falls to a small faction of a society, in this case politicians. The downright ludicrous and easily debunked stance that these people act purely in the interest of the society they serve is not only ignorant of the human condition but completely laughable.

As things stand, the socio-political landscape means that there probably are numerous things where their promulgation does need to be nullified, such as that which incites terrorist activity or threatens the safety of the populous. The issue remains however that equally, anything that is deemed to threaten the law makers or powers that be can be incorporated into this bracket to serve their interests, with the right narrative behind it. This therefore means that the justification of, and mechanisms for nullifying the dangerous can be utilised to nullify political opposition. They get to decide that which constitutes a danger and providing ambiguous categorisations such as 'hate speech', WTF does that really mean anyway, allow them to do this. This also allows them to 'green light' anything that may equally pose a danger to the population, but again, serves their interests.

That's why today we have those with any grievance against the likes of immigration, the promotion of the alphabet soup, the mutilation of children, the Orwellian state etc being branded as 'far-right', nomenclature the powers that be know will cast a black mark upon such entities and thus a narrative that will justify their suppression within what can perhaps more easily be described as a 'far-left' socio-political landscape. We never hear that though, do we?

That though is democracy. If enough vote for change then change will happen. I don’t see politicians acting to protect themselves. If they did I would expect a media outcry to quickly stop it. I am glad though that you acknowledge the need for some reasonable and necessary restrictions, when they are clearly in the public interest.

Whatever people brand you is irrelevant. I have been branded many things here, but I just ignore them. People are entitled to their opinions and to express them freely. I am unaware of anyone’s freedom of speech being threatened over that, whether they are from the right or the left. All that’s needed is a tough skin and nothing will touch you. It’s different if you are part of a previously marginalised or excluded group for which direct intervention is currently considered necessary. You can freely argue against that intervention but whilst it exists you are obliged to respect it.

It’s not just his first name he has tried to change. It’s his whole identity.

Steven Christopher Yaxley-Lennon has a different ring about it to Tommy Robinson.

The latter being the actual name of the leader of a football hooligan gang. The former sounding more like an Eton schoolboy.

I think he is a thoroughly nasty piece of work who is also a hypocrite. So I will call him by his real name, unless and until it changes. Just as the courts do. My free choice.

It’s not just his first name he has tried to change. It’s his whole identity.

Steven Christopher Yaxley-Lennon has a different ring about it to Tommy Robinson.

The latter being the actual name of the leader of a football hooligan gang. The former sounding more like an Eton schoolboy.

I think he is a thoroughly nasty piece of work who is also a hypocrite. So I will call him by his real name, unless and until it changes. Just as the courts do. My free choice.

Better not do the same with any trans people of whom you don't approve or you'll be arrested.