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This is what happens when governments are allowed to bring about so called "Hate Crime" laws to censor people on the internet, in public or even in their own homes if they are overheard by someone outside.
[independent.co.uk]
A similar law brought in to effect last year in Nigeria has a 39 year old business woman and pregnant mother of three Chioma Okoli facing ten years in jail and massive fines for on line HATE.
What was her crime?
She wrote a negative review of a tin of Tomato puree saying it was too sweet.
The CEO of ERISCO FOODS, Eric Umeofia, made a complaint under the hate crime law, had her arrested while she was in church, in front of her family and had her spend a night in a flooded police cell before being charged the following morning.

This is the future ladies and gents, yesterday Nigeria, today Scotland,

LenHazell53 9 Apr 11
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6 comments

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2

This is not a hate crime it is criticism of a politically connected corporation.... This is NOT "what happens when governments impose hate crimes" it is what happens when governments allow bribery...

2

Stupid laws by stupid people. I remember reading about that case. Its the same thing in some countries where you can't criticise the monarchy! Don't let shit like that stand!

3

Though what I do find interesting is the lady's comment ‘Help me advise your brother to stop ki***ing people with his product, yesterday was my first time of using and it’s pure sugar.’

Nigerians find the same issue of food processing killing people as we do in the USA. Her choice of the word "killing" may have elicited the suit, but credit to her for raising that issue. Food companies are killing us.

I agree, but that comment was not in the initial post, it was in response to an on line attack.

4

Anybody can bring a lawsuit for anything...they are paying for the lawyer, who gets paid regardless of the win, lose, or dismissal of the suit. "Bringing a lawsuit" means Nothing.

5

Stretching it a bit much folks. Saying something is too sweet is not hate. Persecution for making such a remark is the real hate crime.

It is being taken very seriously, as Erisco foods claim it has adversely effected business and is part of a prejudicial conspiracy against his personal situation in the community.

"Ericso CEO Eric Umeofia told broadcasters that he would ‘rather die than allow someone to tarnish my image"

@LenHazell53 I red a bit about him and am just shaking my head. He sound to me a bit like Donald.

5

If legitimate criticism can be conflated with hate speech under this law, then the law is overly broad and needs to be rewritten to eliminate such sweeping applications.

Exactly the point the Scottish Police have made about the new Hate Crimes law, the wording is so broad that anyone saying anything about "Protected Groups" (again NOT defined) can be reported and will be investigated by the police as either "Criminal" hate speech or "None Criminal" hate incidents that can still be prosecuted or be subject to official warnings and still will be record on a person's police record.

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