legal
hate
crime
special
STICKS
& STONES...
a step forward for equality against homophobic hate crime.
Nicola Hill of
gay-friendly-wedding-venues.com looks at the new
laws on incitement to hatred, how the hate crime law was
fi nally passed and what to do if you’re a victim of hate crime.
A law passed this year in May Jamaican singer, Bounty Killer.
means people can now be “Bounty Killer has performed murder
prosecuted for inciting hatred on music songs and has ridiculed other
grounds of sexual orientation. singers who have agreed to halt their
encouragement of queer-bashing
The new powers are contained within attacks,” said Tatchell.
the Criminal Justice and Immigration
Bounty Killer
Bill, which received Royal Assent on 8 The new law will also allow authorities
May. LGBT lobby group, Stonewall has to prosecute extreme groups who
) (
described this as “another historic step produce homophobic information in argue ‘religious defence’. It is hoped under this new law must be approved
towards legal equality”. leafl ets or on websites. It could also be that this will not be used liberally as a by the Attorney General and heard
used to prosecute people who stir up defence. Stonewall is urging the before a jury.
The law will cover areas such as rap homophobia through speeches, but it authorities to be vigilant about this.
lyrics that incite people to kill gays. will not curtail freedom of speech. “It is a measure of how far we have
Earlier this year, human rights Contrary to some press reports, the law come as a society in the last ten years
campaigner, Peter Tatchell orchestrated There is however, an amendment that will not impede genuine freedom of that we are now appalled by hatred and
a campaign to ban concerts by the was kept, allowing extreme groups to speech or jokes. Any prosecutions invective directed at people on the
TIMELINE:
8 September 23 September 29 November 28 May
2004 2006 2007 2008
81
The
Journey
Elephant Man Peter Tatchell
to
Elephant Man and Vybz Peter Tatchell accused MPs approved The Criminal Justice
Kartel, the two the government of amendments to add a and Immigration Bill
controversial reggae double standards, proposed new offence received Royal Assent,
acts accused of inciting because of the of incitement to which fi nally made
Justice
violence against implementation of the homophobic hatred to the incitement to
homosexuals, are law against incitement the Criminal Justice and hatred on the basis of
dropped from the to religious hatred, but Immigration Bill. sexuality illegal.
Mobo (Music of Black without including
Origin) Awards. homophobic hatred.
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