UK sentences lockdown protestors for insulting journalist in further crackdown on speech

British protestors who demonstrated against lockdowns last year were sentenced Tuesday for insulting a BBC journalist, according to The Blaze. 

The protestors demonstrated peacefully on Downing Street in June 2021 after then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a four-week extension to the UK’s third national lockdown. When some in the crowd spotted reporter Nick Watt from the BBC, which has been notoriously pro-mandate, they began to follow him and shout epithets at him, such as “traitor.” 

British Home Secretary Priti Patel called it abuse. 

“The video of BBC Newsnight’s Nick Watt being abused by a mob is appalling and distressing,” Patel tweeted after the incident. “This behaviour is never acceptable.” 

Boris Johnson called it “hounding,” saying the media are the “lifeblood of our democracy”. 

“Disgraceful to see the hounding of Nick Watt doing his job,” the disgraced former prime minister tweeted at the time. “The media must be able to report the facts without fear or favour – they are the lifeblood of our democracy.” 

Martin Hockridge (58), Alexander Peat (34) and Gary Purnell (45) were each sentenced to one year of community service and 200 hours of unpaid work. Djazia Chaib-Eddour (44) received one year of community service, 100 hours of unpaid work and 20 hours of rehabilitation. There remains an outstanding arrest warrant for Christopher Aitken (62). Joseph Olswang (40) had earlier pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 weeks in jail. 

All were fined £395 and are under a permanent restraining order against Watt, who said in his statement that he felt he was in “immense danger”. 

"At the time of the incident I was shocked and alarmed at what was happening to me," Watt said. "I felt I was in immense danger." 

The judge also referred to the defendants as “abusive”. 

"This was an extremely unpleasant incident in which each of you used abusive words and threatening behaviour towards Mr. Watt," stated District Judge Louisa Cieciora. "This was committed against somebody who was providing a service to the public, even if you did not agree that service was being performed to the standard it should have been." 

This is not the first time the British government has prosecuted citizens for their words. 

Last month, America’s Frontline News reported that a decorated British war veteran was arrested for “malicious communications” after police received a complaint about one of his social media posts. The offending post showed a swastika made of rainbow flags, a commentary on the state-sponsored intimidation of citizens to embrace same-sex attraction and gender disorientation.  

Ironically, the post was validated when the veteran, referred to as “Darren” in a video of the incident, was ordered to pay £60 for a Community Awareness Course. Authorities told the man the purpose of the course was to “reeducate” him, according to The Epoch Times.  

When the 51-year-old war veteran refused to pay for the course, three policemen arrived at his home on a Sunday morning to arrest him.  

In a video shared by actor and political activist Laurence Fox, who live streamed the incident at the scene, the policemen handcuffed Darren in front of his home. 

Nor is the United Kingdom the only government to prosecute speech. 

In March, German police conducted a raid on 100 political opponents of the regime who had insulted German officials online.  

According to Section 188 of the Criminal Code (StGB), which was amended last year, “insults, slander and defamation of people in political life” is punishable. This goes for insults directed at any official, even at the local level.  

German citizens can also be prosecuted for saying things that are deemed false.  

In a statement by the German police, citizens who had shared posts with “misleading false reports and publicly documented false quotes that appear suitable for defaming and discrediting those affected” were arrested as well.  

As for the coveted right to free speech, German law is clear: “Freedom of expression reaches its limits as soon as defamation, insults and threats are involved,” said Münch.   

In April, the German Embassy in the U.S. tweeted a notice from the Ministry of Interior that those who approve of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will be prosecuted. Also, any German found using the “Z” symbol online, an abbreviation for the Russian words meaning “for victory”, will likewise be prosecuted.