British extremists who fled to US jailed for inciting racial hatred online

[babsbunny]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/10/first-racial-hatred-online-conviction

Matthew Taylor
guardian.co.uk, Friday 10 July 2009 20.06 BST

Two British racists who fled to the US were jailedtoday following what is believed to be the UK's first conviction for inciting racial hatred online.

Simon Sheppard, 52, and Stephen Whittle, 42, were sentenced at Leeds crown court for a number of race-hate crimes.

The court heard the pair had published grotesque images of murdered Jewish people alongside cartoons and articles ridiculing other ethnic groups.

During their first trial the pair skipped bail and fled to California where they sought asylum claiming they were being persecuted for their rightwing views. They were locked up before being deported back to the UK.

[Lasher]

1. Persecuted for their rightwing views.

They say it like it's a bad thing.

[imdjh]

2. I endorse the ACLU position: the answer to offensive speech is more speech.

There is nothing to applaud in prosecuting people for offensive speech. I realize that the UK isn't bound by the US Constitution, but the issue here is free speech.

[dipsydoodle]

3. What they did

just happens to be illegal in the UK and they knew that. Fuck 'em.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

4. So lesser rights for Canadians and UK subjects are OK with you?

Or is it that US citizens are just special?

The UK could indict a US citizens for the same crime, but the US would not extradite since its not a crime in the country.

[dipsydoodle]

6. The law which covers it

covers other issues too for the overall good. If you're here I suggest you don't worry about it.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

7. Thats what the UK guys thought too

There seems to be illegal to offend in the UK and Canada. Damn shame considering they were once paragons of freedom.

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. These guys weren't extradited

I think they were refused political asylum. And then they were deported, because they didn't have the right to live permanently in the USA.

http://cyberlaw.org.uk/2009/06/18/british-hate-speech-duo-will-be-deported-from-the-us/

Simon Sheppard and Stephen Whittle fled to the U.S. in July 2008 after being convicted of publishing hate speech against Jews and other groups on their Web site. The men believed that they would be granted asylum under American laws that protect freedom of speech.

But Sheppard, 52, and Whittle, 42, were taken into custody immediately after their arrival at Los Angeles International Airport when they asked a uniformed U.S. official for asylum. The two have been held at the Santa Ana City Jail in Orange County since then.

...

An immigration judge issued a written order on March 1 saying that the men did not qualify for asylum and were to be deported to England, where they likely will be sentenced to jail time.

[imdjh]

5. So obviously, the British still don't get it. Apparently you don't either. nt

[dipsydoodle]

8. Don't you think

your time might be better spent campaigning for an equivalent to our National Health Service instead of whining about some other UK issues ?

Oh and by the way - it's not just the UK : it's EU wide.

[imdjh]

10. You're championing criminal prosecution for speech, and I should keep my mouth shut?

Oh and by the way - it's not just the UK : it's EU wide.


I don't give a damn if every country in the world criminalizes free speech, that doesn't make it right. Get your priorities straight. Free Speech isn't a popularity contest, protecting unpopular speech is the founding principle of liberty.

[dipsydoodle]

11. Well just to piss you off even more

If whatever they did had been homophobic the max. penalty would've been 7 years. I'm straight but do sympathise.

The issue by the way is "incitement" and changes to our law simply were to an existing law.

As Aunti Mu' pointed out above : they were not extradited - they were deported back to the UK. The mugs had tried to claim asylum.

[imdjh]

12. Yes, it pisses me off that there is a penalty for homophobic speech.

Emotionally, i'd like to see such people get hurt, but integrity is rising above emotion. The social reaction to such speech , I have no problem with. The protesters screaming at the LDS in Westwood was a joy to see. The government prosecuting people for speech is not a joy to see.

[krabigirl]

13. Fitting that they came to California to seek asylum from persecution for rightwing views.

This state is seriously becoming a conservative craphole.