Source

LONDON, UK, December 7. 2004: The Hindu Council UK (“source”) sent information for this news item:



Fiona Mactaggart MP from Home Office in London responded to Mr. Anil Bhanot General Secretary of Hindu Council (UK)’s reaction to the provisions to prevent incitement to religious hatred at second reading of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill on Tuesday. Fiona Mactaggart made this clear in her reply that the Government’s intention by this Bill is to provide protection from extremism and hate and not to unnecessarily stifle debate on religious beliefs and practices. Part IV of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill contains provisions to combat the activities of the extremists within our community who stir up hatred against groups targeted because of their religious beliefs, or lack of religious beliefs, as well as those targeted on racial grounds. These measures build on the protection already afforded by the existing incitement to racial hatred offences by amending the offence in part III of the Public Order Act 1986 to also protect people targeted because of their religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs. They will make it an offence for a person to use words or behavior or material that they know are threatening, abusive or insulting, and which are intended or likely to stir up hatred against the target of those threats, abuse or insults. Here are two examples of situations where, taking into account all the circumstances, the prosecuting authorities would consider taking action under the new offence: 1. In response to an extreme racist organization widely distributing material setting out a range of insulting and highly inflammatory reasons for hating Islam. Such reasons have included suggesting that Muslims are a threat to British people and liable to molest women and that they should be urgently driven out of Britain. 2. In response to extremists within a faith community making repeated threatening statements stirring up followers to look for ways to make trouble for unbelievers saying that God would never ever allow unbelievers to be pleased with them and created them to be enemies.

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