The arbitrary tyranny of woke censorship
My view is that neither of these cases should have got anywhere near a courtroom. No one should be criminalised for expression. Yes, that includes expressing admiration for the scum of Hamas. Using a picture of a paraglider to give a sly nod of approval to pogromists will be repulsive to the vast majority of Brits, especially British Jews. But if we're serious about freedom of speech, then it must be allowed. The liberty to utter is enjoyed by all or by none at all. The bigoted, the ridiculous, the malevolent and the dumb must enjoy free speech equally to everyone else. When we allow the state – whether the courts, the cops or the cultural elite – to determine what is sayable and what is not, we cease to have freedom of speech and instead have licensed speech. The right to speak so long as we don't say anything that 'they' consider wrong, wicked or dangerous.