The “rule” about social media posting has no relation to treatment of illegal migrants. Handling of guns in foreign places wasn’t what got Richelieu-Booth arrested. So it was unnecessary to bring migrants into the thread.
Concern and even anger over the police arresting people for social media posting that still does not breach the “hate speech” threshold is an entirely reasonable response. It should concern us all. The assessment that it’s a tactic might be crediting the police with more cunning than they deserve, but maybe not. There is evidence that many people self censor as a result of use of NCHI and the like. Censoring even opinions that are still free to express from an over abundance of caution.
Frustration that police spend resources on policing social media posting with the flimsiest of evidence and don’t investigate or make arrests over many other crimes would be a very valid.
Not that it has any relevance to the topic of policing social media posting, but Bridget Phillipson didn’t say migrant rights take priority over UK citizens. She answered the question by saying “It’s about a balance of rights,”. Not really something the Education Secretary has much importance in anyway. However it was Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who authorised Home Office lawyers to go to court saying that rights of illegal migrants in the Bell Hotel (to be housed there) trumped those of local citizens in Epping.
