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In the Media

Articles That Mention the Free Speech Union

Islamic charity “put Batley cartoon row teacher in danger” by outing him

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In a letter to the Charity Commission, the Free Speech Union said they are concerned that the actions of Purpose of Life, a charity local to the school in West Yorkshire, could “expose the teacher to serious disrepute and physical harm as a result of teaching his students about a controversial topic”. Their letter went on to say: “The exercise and promotion of the right to free expression should not have such potentially dire consequences in this country. We therefore ask that the Commission investigate Purpose of Life’s letter as a serious incident. We believe it has breached its obligations as a charity.”

Camilla Turner and Gordon Rayner, The Daily Telegraph, 26th March 2021.

Grammar school head issues “unequivocal apology” and suspends “RE teacher who showed class Prophet Muhammad cartoon” – but sends police officer out to tell furious Muslim parents protesting at front gates

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The Free Speech Union said it stands “in solidarity with the teacher at Batley Grammar who has been suspended at the behest of a censorious religious mob”. Toby Young, its director general, said he is writing to the headteacher to object, copying in Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, and to the local Chief Constable asking him to make sure the teacher is “protected from intimidation”. He told MailOnline: “Schools should be teaching children about the importance of free speech and for the headteacher to give in immediately to the demands of an outrage mob – apologising to them and suspending the teacher concerned – sets a very bad example. No one has the right not to be offended.”

Mark Duell and Jack Wright, MailOnline, 25th March 2021.

The government vs freedom of speech

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So far, free-speech activists, helped by the Free Speech Union and others, such as Free to Disagree, have had some successes. They have managed to water down the still appalling Scottish hate-crime law, and to persuade the Law Commission in London to propose getting rid of the over-extended Section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 criminalising any internet post deemed “grossly offensive”.

Andrew Tettenborn, Spiked, 18th March 2021.

“Mother” and “Man” Scrapped by Woke University for “More Inclusive Language”

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The General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, Toby Young, criticised the university for wasting student’s money. “If I was a student at Manchester University I’m not sure I would regard this as a good use of my £9,250 a year,” Young told the BBC. “Instead of focusing on educational standards, or supporting those students who’ve been short-changed during the pandemic, Manchester has wasted time and money on producing a guide to how to speak woke-ish.”

Kurt Zindulka, Breitbart, 14th March 2021.

Time to take on the thoughtpolice

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At the Free Speech Union, our paper, An Orwellian Society: Non-Crime Hate Incidents and the Policing of Speech, explains what this new form of speech control means for our freedoms. Public awareness of NCHIs has grown since police recorded Harry Miller (in 2019) and Darren Grimes (in 2020) as having committed such ‘incidents’. Though the details and implications of NCHIs are not commonly understood.

Radomir Tylecote, Spiked, 11th March 2021.

Police record thought crimes even if no law has been broken – and it could cost you a job

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Today’s report, titled An Orwellian Society, warns that because records of NCHIs can be made after an anonymous accusation, this could encourage “a culture of denunciation hitherto unknown in the UK”. The report’s author, Dr Radomir Tylecote, adds that police officers should be trusted to use their common sense to decide if “reported activity constitutes a crime and not record it if it does not”.

David Williamson, The Sunday Express, 7th March 2021.

Former MSP BRIAN MONTEITH whose website had its ads banned by Facebook without warning or explanation says: Our freedoms will not be ended by a jackboot, the algorithms are watching and will just switch us off

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[Brian Monteith,] said: “It was only by enlisting the help of the Free Speech Union (FSU) that I uncovered the disturbing truth about what was going on. Political opponents, almost certainly Scottish Nationalists, were abusing Facebook’s anonymous complaint system to trigger an automatic ban. With the help of the FSU, we sent a letter to Facebook signed by more than 40 politicians from all parties.”

Brian Monteith, The Mail on Sunday, 6th March 2021.

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