Do you know what a hate crime is?…No, that was a joke. Assuming you live in the north of Ireland, you’re bound to know. You’ve probably witnessed it, you may have, in a general or particular sense, been on the receiving end of it. Like love in other places, hate is all around you.
The PSNI have a bit about hate crime on their website:
“Hate crime is any incident perceived to have been committed against any person or property on the grounds of a particular person’s ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, political opinion or disability. The police are working hard to tackle hate crime throughout Northern Ireland but our success will mostly depend on you. We need you to recognise when a hate crime occurs and report it to us.”
Mmm. There’s more than a hint here that hate crime is something hidden in a dark corner and perpetrated on an individual, so naturally the one who suffers needs to tell the police where the corner is and what’s going on in it.
In another section, the PSNI website gives more detail on our favourite hate crime, sectarianism:
“Sectarian hate crime is defined as any incident perceived, by the victim or any other person, as being sectarian. The term sectarian is broadly understood to describe incidents based on a person’s perceived religion or political opinion. Report any hate crime to us as soon as it is safe to do so.”
Again, the emphasis is on the public telling the cops. How otherwise are they to know that a hate crime has been perpetrated?
I have a suggestion.
Instead of waiting for victims to come to you and spill the beans, guys, just jump into one of your jeeps and drive to any of the many mountainous bonfires scraping the skies all over the north. On those you will find Irish tricolours, photographs of Anna Lo, Martina Anderson. You might even find a picture of the Pope or a statue of the Blessed Virgin. On Friday night, those massive bonfires will be lit and the Irish tricolour along Anna, Martina, Francis and/or Mary will be consumed in flames, to loud cheers from the audience. It’s like an African witch-doctor sticking needles into a waxen effigy, only a group activity.
So really, guys, these are what you could call self-reporting hate crimes. You know where they are, you should have no difficulty establishing who was behind building them. Hate crime is a crime, isn’t it? So shouldn’t you be taking down those pictures and flags and statues, and arresting the people who put them up?
Or would you go along with the view that the north is a series of little fiefdoms, and if the fiefdom dwellers want to have a bit of hate-crime bingeing, sure it’s only democratic to let them at it, so it is?
Depends how you define hate crime…
I think that some act which encourages people to hate an individual or group would fit the bill – don’t you think? The clue’s in the name…
Reading the article would give you one definition, Mick. You did read it, didn’t you?
What’s your definition? In simple terms would be nice. Thanks.
What part of inciting hatred do you not understand Mick? Just about every category laid down by the PSNI is breached, never mind of course ‘common sense’,- these piss festivals have nothing to contribute positively to harmony in the wider community…..maybe you could ask Anna lo and her constituents if they would feel welcome at some of these fires with open hospitality….Im sure the welcome would be warm indeed. If it looks like Hate, Burns like Hate, smells like the fumes from Hate, it is definitely not a Duck, or a Dove of Harmony.
Good Morning Jude,
I get want you mean exactly, a couple of years ago, when my heroine passed away, I was shocked at the reaction from the nationalist community, the total lack of respect for a great leader.
I am prepared for when the passing of my Queen comes, as it will she is in the winter of her life.
Mrs Thatcher was no friend of the Unionist people, she did what she thought was right!
But, what a woman, strong, confident, and a leader among so many men, both here and abroad.
I have three top women whom I adore, I have already spoke of two, the third is Dame Shirley Bassey.
But enough about me, back to your question, it’s not nice to put anything offensive on the BF, I honestly thought the 12th, would have disappeared by now, I think the only reason it lives on, is because of the hate, between the very close right next door to each other communities.
The two sides like to offend each other, this not my scene, nor is it what I am about.
Norma
The Labour Party of the Free Southern State not only hates crime, but its comrades reserve a particular vitriol for Hate Crime. Above all other crimes, they hate Hate Crime. Like Stockhausen hated tunes. Like Gnasher hated the pants of Dennis the Menace. Yes, that much.
How do I know this? Because they say so themselves, frequently. Though not with quite the same frequency as they tell us that they, the Labour Party of the Free Southern State, is the…. oldest….. party….. in…. the… land, predating even the state, if not the land itself. That message is broadcast with the same frequency as the muezzin’s daily message from the minarets of a mosque. Or indeed, Mr. Whippy’s message on a sunny day: Ices! Ices ! Get the last of the Choc Ices!
Looking at the photo which accompanies today’s blog I could not help but notice two things:1. that the political parties to which each person is affiliated to does not have Unionist it its title. (Eire Aontaithe -United Ireland – does not count at counting centres). 2. each person is of the female wing of the human race.
Thus, THE perfect opening for the new Leader of the Labour Party to score a goal and set the old onion sack of political point scoring a dancing. After all did not she run on a platform of which Gender was a plank (‘Hi, everybody, this is Joanie here, I’m a ….woman !) and secondly, as a Mature Woman (‘Hi, everybody, this is Joanie here again, not only am I a woman person, but also…..a woman person of a certain age !’.)
To emphasise the second point she decorated the left lapel (always the left one) of her cute proletarian red jacket by Ib Jorgensen (I knew it was by Ib by the cut of her gib) with a gigantic badge which read: ‘I’m 64’. An obvious reference to both her birth certificate and her campaign signature tune of choice: ‘When I’m 64’. Not by Stockhausen, but by Macca.
This prompted the following question (another 3-parter) at what is now beginning to achieve the status of legendary, her inaugular Press Conference which referred to a different song by Macca.
Q 1: Would you, or would you not be prepared to consider using ‘Give Ireland back to the Irish’ as a signature tune for the next Election?
A. Out !
Q 2. Would you, or would you not be prepared to consider using ‘Give Hibernia back to the Hibernians’ as a signature tune for the next Election?
A: Out !
Q. 3: Would you or would you not be prepared to consider using ‘Give Banba back to the Banbarians’ as a signature tune for the next Election?
A: Out !
The last ‘Out!’ was out even before the questioner could get in the bit about ‘being the version by the Banba Brass and Reed Band’ which might even have given the Yawnaiste pause, as it sounded not unlike a wee Orange band.
Now, if there had been only one portrait on the above bonfire, i.e. that of Anna Lo there might have been some chance – however, slim – of Joan of Barkshire raising her yawn-suppressing voice. But with Martina Anderson also in the frame, alas, no change, neither slim or none. Gilt by association, you understand.
Supplementary questions regarding her choice of signature tune ranged from the guffaw provoking ‘would you be handy mending a fuse?’ to ‘when did you consider losing, oops, dyeing your hair?’ to ‘is it true you like to for a ride every Sunday Morning?’ (that was a real knee slapper) to – the real party pooper of a q. which quickly brought the shutters down on the now legendary P.Conference: ‘ Would you or would you not consider calling one of your grandchildren – (did I not mention she also ran as a….mother?)…’Vera, Chuck, or Dave.
The unspoken implication being that Chuck is short for……Chuckyhead.
No, the omens are not good. Dangerous Dan Keenan (the Stoop who failed to Conquer) had a follow up story today about the all-dancing, all-singing Orange Festival in the Paper of Record which throws all its weight behind the new old Yawnanaiste (even though ‘weight’ might be inappropriate, even sexist, choice of w. here) entitled……Loud and Proud. (LaP. Call it a LaP of honour to his empathetic story of the same Festival of the previous day).
To conclude with the 64 dollar question: is it now open season to ask ladies, either/or ‘of a certain age’ what that certain age is, straight up like and in their face lift?
Would still tread carefully here, chaps. For you might well be treading of their screams. Resulting in acquiring a face like Smoking Joe Frazier after his Jamaica rumba with Big Georgina Foreman.
Well its the same situation as the ‘fleg demonstrations’. The PSNI act on it in a way they see fit and safe. They didn’t stop the protests because they saw it (in simple terms) as a waste of resources to do so. So will the PSNI see tackling this “hate crime” as a waste of resources? Lets be honest, in both situations Loyalists were breaking the law but will this be another case of one law for Loyalists and another for Nationalists. Since when has burning effigies of Sinn Fein members or Anno Lo, a very brave person and an MLA, been seen as culture or religious. Sure this “culture” is setting a dangerous trend and if it is, it should be regulated.
Perkin Warbeck
You, sir, are a genius!
Great article, as usual, Jude.
Mick Fealty asks how we are to define ‘hate crime.’ I can only assume he didn’t actually read the article, in which you reference the PSNI’s very clear definition.
‘Hate crime is any incident perceived to have been committed against any person or property on the grounds of a particular person’s ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, political opinion or disability.’
I doubt that, even filtered through the Olympic-standard mendacity we’re used to seeing on Slugger, the burning of effigies of clearly indentifiable individuals, qualifies. I’d say in this case, the boxes of ethnicity, gender, religion and political opinion are all ticked.
Go raibh maith agat, Billy
“Some people are created more equal than others” This is another example of one eyed policing that will only seek to further discredit the PSNI. ” meet the new boss just the same as the old boss”
Nelson McCausland managed another successful failure with his contribution on The Nolan Show. He was busy stirring the pot about scholarships to An Ghaeltacht and the alleged indoctrination of the younger generation. Young people who spend time on summer courses develop fluency in the Irish language and have the opportunity to pursue cultural pursuits such as music and dancing. Mr McCausland and the PSNI do not appear to have any issues in relation to the welfare, lack of supervision and health and safety of children and young people who spend hours climbing up and down bonfires. What kind of role models are children and young people being exposed to? Children and young people do not drive cherry pickers, lorry loads of pallets or tyres. What lessons are learned about environmental pollution as a result of burning tyres? Can Mr McCausland justify the costs incurred by the PSNI, Fire Service, Health Service and District Councils in the wake of bonfires? Young people are exposed to culture in An Ghaeltacht, chaos and destruction at bonfires. Mr McCausland clearly wants to have his cake and eat it.
Yes Iolar, Mr McCausland really is a tediously bovine unimaginative silly imperceptive prat . Dammit he’s a creationist to boot!!….What does that say about the people that gave him that job.?
What exactly are the PSNI for?
I would really love to know.
The way things are here it would appear that there are either too many people who are the dumbest critters in all creation….So bloody stupid that…..
They don’t know what “hate” is .
They don’t know what “misogny” is .{misog…what?!!!!}.
They don’t know what “racism” is?
And that’s only the bloody politicians…never mind the numbnuts that vote them in .
Then there’s the police .Was there ever a more innefective group of poor, sorry buggers in all creation. They all have “Mission Statements” up to here but the years peel by and by and they do nothing to change anything.It takes action and hard knocks, not sweet words of comfort.
Making omelletes and breaking eggs. that’s what it takes you cops!!
When people say they are fed up with this annual rubbish that we all have to put up with and pay for…… and that’s probably way more than half the population..
..what that means is that they want the bonfires policed .They want the buggers who brought the pallets and loads of illegal tyres ,publicly reprimanded and kicked up the arse and the whole bloody bale of bullshit dismantled . Then we can talk about bonfires…..”bon” fires….happy fires …celebration fires …good fires …or in Norn Ireland ….”BONE” fires..!! Dumbfux!!
Sure you can have your bloody culture ye wee scally ….but your fire is going to be a much smaller and more regulated affair ..and if we see one bloody Pope or or one single Anna Lo on it . or some other country’s flag on it …..you little beggars are for the pokey. !!
That’s what people want the police to do .That’s what we pay them to do .All us citizens that have to pay our parking fines and traffic violations and little misdemeanors to pay for all this claptrap. All we want is a fair deal .Especially those of us who think it is a huge insult to have a bonfire in the first place. At least half the paying population…
I think you nailed it there, PK. With appropriate passion…
My oft repeated phrase ‘ Selective justice ” stems from selective policing, Nice job PK
Dammit !! That should be “omelettes”….doesn’t pay to type in anger!!!!
And “ineffective” too, dammit!!….calm down now…there’s a lad…..
And a comma in there between “takes” and “you cops”….okay , i’ll calm down now….
Burning a piece of paper is now a hate crime!!!!!! ha, ha
Just watch the stink if someone sets fire to a stack of bibles or the Koran….it’s not the paper which is really only a bit of reconstituted tree like the pallets….it’ what is written on it or what idea it represents…
I see Mr Fealty has refused to respond to anyone on this site.He’s probably pouring over several drafts to see how he can incorporate Gerry Adams into his highly intellectual thesis.
Jude
The definition is certainly very wide, and as Norma points out might equally encompass the burning of images of Maggie Thatcher at the time of her death.
Can a hate crime be prosecuted if the victim is dead? I imagine not.
The placing of these placards on bonfires is despicable and inexcusable.
I am not so sure that you are right when you say the police should have no difficulty establishing who built the bonfires or in being able to arrest the individual responsible for placing the placards.
It all adds to the argument for proper regulation of these things with responsible people making an official application.
As usual little chance of such simple common sense being applied.
There’s an argument to be made that those celebrating Thatcher’s death were not guilty of a hate crime, as their ‘hate’ was directed against an individual on the basis of her actions, rather than her “ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, political opinion or disability” etc.
Norma, it might be worth noting that it was not simply Nationalists in Northern Ireland who were celebrating Thatcher’s death. Most of the population of the North of England, the Midlands of England, the majority of Wales and most of Scotland were celebrating her death also. I don’t believe in celebrating anybody’s death but as they say in Liverpool “Thatcher finished what Hitler started”. I’m not inclined to disagree with that.
RJC
Surely that argument could equally be used in the case of Martina Anderson.?
On the other hand Thatcher’s actions were a product of her political opinion.
It is a fairly vague law and assuming anyone could be identified as responsible for placing the placards I would imagine a successful prosecution might be difficult.
Well, quite – the law as it stands is certainly open to interpretation. Sadly here, the PSNI seem to feel that ‘do nothing’ is the appropriate response to these sort of incidents. One wonders how long the authorities will continue to turn a blind eye to our Summer festivals of hate.
Bring in police from Britain, through the year if need be.
As soon as a single tyre, placard or effigy is placed on the bonfire site-to-be then remove everything.
Sell the pallets in a police auction.
If they wish to riot, then so be it.
They can only riot for so long.
Do it year after year till they learn.
“‘It rubs the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again!”
Another thing.
HSE in NI is quite bad on account of the litigation culture, everyone loves to make a ‘claim’.
If it costs thousands to insure a rubber duck race in a river then what should it cost to insure a monstrous pyre built of wood, noxious materials and diesel?
Not to mention the number of people drinking.
It doesn’t make sense.
Our police are not completely useless. Recently, in Dungannon, two of them idling in their shiny new car spied a dog micturating on a car wheel. The owner was prosecuted. You couldn’t make it up. Yet they are powerless to remove flags,tyres or public drunks with sashes.
I think you’re (nominally) biased in the dog’s favour, madadhmór….