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Man Arrested For Photo of Burning Poppy On Facebook

Barence writes "A British man has been arrested for posting a picture of a burning poppy on Facebook. The poppy is a symbol of remembrance for those who died in war, and the arrest was made on Remembrance Sunday. 'A man from Aylesham has tonight been arrested on suspicion of malicious telecommunications,' Kent police said in a statement after the arrest. 'This follows a posting on a social network site of a burning poppy. He is currently in police custody awaiting interview.' The arrest has been criticized by legal experts. 'What was the point of winning either World War if, in 2012, someone can be casually arrested by @Kent_police for burning a poppy?' tweeted David Allen Green, who helped clear the British man who was prosecuted for a joke tweet threatening to blow up an airport."

10 of 534 comments (clear)

  1. But! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    But I thought America was the oppressive country hat hated free speech, surely this cant happen in the UK! Why Europeans are superior in every way to Americans!

  2. Re:The point by ohnocitizen · · Score: 5, Funny

    Someone needs to talk to the tree of liberty about its ghoulish drinking problem.

  3. What's a poppy? by AK+Marc · · Score: 3, Funny

    Why is there no mention for those of us not in the UK what the symbolism of the poppy is. Is it like burning a flag? And why has nobody made the joke "Looks like the inmates are running the Aylesham"? Come on, it's easy.

  4. Oh, poppy! by Bleek+II · · Score: 2, Funny

    I thought it said puppy. I was a little freaked out by the tone of the writing.

  5. Re:better yet by Russ1642 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I hate Illinois Nazis.

  6. Re:better yet by EGenius007 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hey guys, in my religion we have three sacred elements (conveniently a solid, liquid, and gas): coal, petroleum, and natural gas. It is strictly forbidden to burn them except in specially controlled religious ways, and it would be blasphemy for people to burn them for any other reason.

    Enjoy your legally mandated return the 16th century, UK!

    --
    I know what you did last summer. Just kidding, I don't work at the NSA.
  7. Re:better yet by Richy_T · · Score: 4, Funny

    Malted milk?

  8. Re:The point by GungaDan · · Score: 4, Funny

    "(there was an old saying; worry more about arrows that hit you in the back more than ones that might hit you in the chest.)"

    It's the ones in the knee that will really get you down.

    --
    Eloi are stupid, throw morlocks at them!
  9. Re:better yet by AliasMarlowe · · Score: 4, Funny

    Look up a fellow named Maltov, you might remember him for a certain drink in his name.

    Perhaps you should have looked him up yourself. You're probably referring to the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact, and to the Molotov cocktail, a weapon named to dishonor the same Molotov.

    --
    Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. - Voltaire
  10. Re:better yet by Half-pint+HAL · · Score: 3, Funny

    He might have spotted the reference if it wasn't the middle of the night and he wasn't wearing shades....

    --
    Got them moderator blues I blieve I walk out the do', With these mod-points I been gettin', I 'most never post no mo'