Blogger Arrested for Meme Criticizing Hamas
A British blogger was arrested at his residence in Yorkshire for sharing a meme that read, “F**k Hamas.”
Pete North, 47, documented the incident on social media, showing police arriving at his home late Thursday before informing him that he was being taken into custody for a post that someone from the local hate crime team had found objectionable.
Despite the meme also including phrases like “f**k Palestine” and “f**k Islam,” the police seemed particularly concerned about the implications of his comments regarding Hamas, the organization responsible for the weekend massacre in Israel on October 7. North shared details of the interaction with The Telegraph.
“The officer at my interview started by saying, ‘Let’s discuss the meme. You posted a meme that said f**k Hamas,’” North recounted.
In response, North stated, “Yes, I did share that meme because Hamas is an internationally proscribed terrorist organization recognized in Britain.” He also questioned the officer’s awareness of Hamas, saying, “Just to confirm, you are aware of who Hamas are?”
North claimed the officer “just shook his head,” expressing disbelief at the apparent lack of knowledge regarding the group’s actions from October 7.
“He was completely unaware,” he complained. “If you’re arresting individuals for memes, perhaps you should stay informed about current affairs.”
The meme that led to the arrest read: “F**k Palestine. F**k Hamas. F**k Islam. Want to protest? F**k off to a Muslim country and protest.”
North Yorkshire Police later released a statement confirming that a man was arrested “on suspicion of publishing or distributing written material intended to stir up racial hatred.” After a prolonged interrogation, North was released without charge and accused the authorities of aiming to intimidate individuals into adhering to political correctness online.
“I believe strongly that the political cartoons and memes I choose to share online should not be the concern of the police,” North remarked in an interview with The Telegraph.
“No one should face police scrutiny for posting memes on Twitter,” he added, emphasizing that the purpose of such actions is not to secure convictions but to sow fear among individuals like himself, dissuading them from sharing bold opinions online.
This incident reflects growing outrage in the UK over police actions targeting individuals expressing their beliefs, including flag displays. Earlier this month, an American cancer patient residing in the UK reported being questioned by police regarding a message she posted which was deemed “threatening.”
“Pete North’s experience is the latest in a disturbing trend of violations of free speech within Britain,” remarked Rupert Lowe, an independent Member of Parliament, during a conversation with the Spectator. “Freedom of speech has been eroded in Britain systematically by successive administrations, oftentimes under the guise of ensuring ‘safety.’”
