UK: Police chief column – Sex-offender protests undermining public safety
UNFORTUNATELY during the past fortnight we have continued to see protests outside addresses of registered sex offenders and people wrongly perceived to be sex offenders.
Campaigning and peaceful protests are legitimate in a democratic society, and I recognise and uphold the right of individuals to express their views lawfully and to protest peacefully. However, violence, disorder, hate crime, and threatening and abusive behaviour that places others at risk are not forms of protest and are creating an increasing negative and anxious atmosphere in communities across the UK, as well as here in East Lothian.
‘Outing’ registered sex offenders and threatening them and their family members on social media or physically confronting them significantly affects the ability of police and partners to manage risk effectively. It also undermines the measures already in place to protect the public.
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I was reminded of an editorial I read when some state (Ohio, maybe?) was debating whether to make registrants have distinctive plates on their cars.
The author asked what the law-abiding citizen was expected to do when encountering one of these plates – ram it, follow it, give it the finger, etc., all of which were illegal. Someone commented to report it if it were “acting strangely.” Aside from wondering how a vehicle could “act strangely”, it seemed stupid to not report a vehicle “acting strangely” unless it had one of those distinctive plates. The conclusion was that it was most likely best to simply ignore it, which questioned the point of putting it there in the first place.
https://share.google/aimode/f6zdQlYlUdWjpAFUV
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjx23yxwe73qo
When the purpose is to drive someone out of their home or community, I see that as another form of banishment. Calling it a peaceful protest does not change that purpose. People concerned about public policy should take those concerns to City Hall or the local council offices, where the decisions are made.