England Riots: Facebook Pair Lose Appeals

After this summer's riots, the British justice system brought the hammer down hard. Sentencing for persons found guilty of crimes relevant to that and any future escapade have been massively increased. Take, for example, this pair. They supported the riots on Facebook and encouraged people to join in. They were sentenced to 4 years in prison, appealed and were denied clemency.
4 years in prison for supporting and encouraging others on a social network.
For those of you who are currently promoting OWS (and the many who keep appearing on TV to be interviewed), thinking that it is your God-given right, beware. When the protests have simmered down and the parks emptied, be prepared for the backlash.
Like I've oft repeated, if you're going to have a revolution then do so wholeheartedly and be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for your ideals. If not then stay home and keep your mouth shut otherwise you might end up like the literal thousands of UK citizens who are now in jail for a weekend's exuberance.

England Riots: Facebook Pair Lose Appeals

correct me if im wrong but these two we're arrested, alebit for something that didn't happen, for inciting rioting, not supporting a protest.

i've taken as much of a step back as is humanly possible when looking at the subject of the #occupy 'this', trend, but silence is not something which should or will ever be accepted. the moment you stop speaking someone will speak for you, and theres enough of that already.

ed: 4 years for typing on a keyboard is outragous, anyone who disagree's should sell their keyboard cause it'll be you next according to OP.

Originally posted by whatsinaname
correct me if im wrong but these two we're arrested, alebit for something that didn't happen, for inciting rioting, not supporting a protest.

i've taken as much of a step back as is humanly possible when looking at the subject of the #occupy 'this', trend, but silence is not something which should or will ever be accepted. the moment you stop speaking someone will speak for you, and theres enough of that already.

ed: 4 years for typing on a keyboard is outragous, anyone who disagree's should sell their keyboard cause it'll be you next according to OP.

edit on 18/10/2011 by whatsinaname because: (no reason given)

I logged in specifically to star your post. OP needs to do some research and differentiate between a riot and a protest... big difference dawg

This is some scary stuff if you ask me. I mean it's different if they actively participated in the riots, but IF they just showed their support via facebook then the police state is firmly in place. If this is the case than something needs to be done soon before this comes over to America. That's why I support PEACEFUL protesting. Gandhi knew what he was doing.

Originally posted by nathanscottecho
This is some scary stuff if you ask me. I mean it's different if they actively participated in the riots, but IF they just showed their support via facebook then the police state is firmly in place.

How is the ''police state firmly in place'' ?

Inciting a riot has been against the law for over a century. Inciting rioting in Northwich via Facebook is no different to going into the town centre and doing the same.

reply to post by whatsinaname


One woman was sentenced to 5 months in prison (later quashed in appeal) for receiving a pair of socks which MIGHT have been stolen during the riots.
As for saying the OWS isn't the same as a riot, the riots didn't start off as such either. They were peaceful protests outside the police station to ask why their local dealer had been shot by the police. The riots didn't start until the police manhandled a 16 year old girl and the crowd then protested in a more physical way.
Let's say the police get a bit rough with OWS and the protestors push back, a few store windows get broken and a car torched. Anyone who was actively promoting such 'riots' (and here the terminology has changed) is looking at facing what these two got.
And, yes, just for typing on a keyboard....`
I'm not syaing it's going to happen but it is a distinct possibility. After all, they arranged all this.....
I asked last week why Occupy london would be arranged on Saturday when it was closed rather than Monday and was answered that the protestors would be setting up for the long haul. They didn't. They went home for work. TPTB gave you a rope, most dropped it but some began tying their own noose.
This was all so obvious even a child should have seen it. Why the hell would anyone protest a stock exchange after closing bell?
TPTB have utilized this occasion (in a 'peaceful' manner, like good sheep) to release a pressure valve and also to identify just who might be classed as an insurrectionary. Where was the driving force? Where was the goal? What has a month of standing in a park accomplished?
Has not a single one of you read Machiavelli?

reply to post by Aestheteka


Thank you for that.

you shouldn't really compare the london riots to ows or occupy in general because london was within a day a riot and a bit of a mockery to the original story if I may be so blunt, a man was shot dead by cops, they arn't protesting in peace about the financial system. infact there are now apparently civilized protests in london about that subject. the former was none of the above.

granted it could go bad, but the NYC protest alone have already been herded onto a bridge and accused of blocking traffic, each hauled off one by one with little to no physical resistance, I watched the first protest in egypt a while back live via cnn, those guys we're chucking petrol bombs from buildings at eachother (pro and anti crowds) occupy is nowhere near that scale, and I don't see it going that far even if it did 'kick off', I could be wrong, but you would have thought it would have occured already.

I would be interested to know exactly what the two facebook folks posted to get themselves 4 years, alot of people on the internet can exadurate, and things can be misinterpreted, though in this case im fairly certain the story is they tried to get a bit of london going in their backyard for kicks and possibly a new plasma television.

reply to post by whatsinaname

the NYC protest alone have already been herded onto a bridge and accused of blocking traffic, each hauled off one by one with little to no physical resistance,

Exactly.
And that will accomplish...?

well, its the ol' do what ghandi did tactic isn't it, give no reason for violence in the first place, and if thats not your cup of tea, don't go to that protest.

at least thats what it looks like at a glance, theres much more to all this occupy stuff, you may or may not have noticed in another thread I have said I do not support the protests at the moment, one reason being that their use of many demands is like a few clever folks have put it, not up to the task at hand. one reason should be good enough.

there is also the subversion thing, and I don't mean hiding some cops in the crowd to start it off like the student protests, there are theories, and i'll leave it there. the communist takeover thing may be correct. socialist...whatever xD i'm sure you know what I mean at this point, there are other theories though.

reply to post by whatsinaname


Goldman Sachs.
Look there.
All roads lead to, and all that