We were recently contacted by one of our members, Darren Grimes, regarding a YouTube interview he conducted with Dr David Starkey in June. He told us that he had been asked by police to appear at a police station to be interviewed under caution, or be arrested if he refused to attend “voluntarily”. This was over remarks that his interviewee Dr Starkey had made during the interview, and the crime being investigated was that of “sitrring up racial hatred” under the Public Order Act 1986 s.22. This is unprecedented both because of the fact that a law intended to maintain public order is being used to regulate speech and debate, but also because the target is not the person who made the allegedly inflammatory remarks but the interviewer – something that could have far-reaching implications for journalists and broadcasters. We managed to find a solicitor willing to represent Mr Grimes pro bono, and issued the following statement:
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