Author: Simon Perry
Kung Fu Fighting Singer: Police No Further Action
9:03 am Thursday, 28th April, 2011, Isle of Wight
ShortURL: http://wig.ht/kungfuarrestdropped
Read More- Island-wide, Law & Order, News, Sandown
This came in from the police in connection with the arrest of a man over a complaint over him singing Kung Fu Fighting in Sandown, in their words – Ed
Statement in relation to allegation of racially aggravated harassment on Isle of Wight
Police can confirm a 34-year-old man from Shanklin, Isle of Wight answered street bail by attending Newport Police Station on the evening of Wednesday, April 27, 2011.
He was interviewed by police on suspicion of causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress under section 4A of the Public Order Act 1986.
“Insufficient evidence”
The 34-year-old man was released with no further action because of insufficient evidence to confirm any criminal offence had been committed.
A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: “Anyone who perceives they are the victim of a racially aggravated crime is entitled to make a report to the police.
“We will treat such allegations seriously to provide reassurance for victims and to protect the integrity of appropriate lines of enquiry.”
This type of reaction taken by the police reminds of the thought police in George Orwell’s book 1984.
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“and to protect the integrity of appropriate lines of enquiry”…what does than mean in English?
No wonder communication between police and public is so poor, they have their own language
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that not than – sorry
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It means that they do not want an issue with their internal subsystem communications resulting in a mismatch between normally agreed parameters and user expectations in a macro sense.
I would have thought that was obvious.
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It means contact the police as early as possible so than can collect evidence, interview people at the time. If you contact them later then it gives time for stories to be concocted, evidence to be disposed of and of course speculation in the press and online that may influence witnesses, etc.
It seems to me that whole issue here is the tag ‘racial’ added to harassment. Surely harassment is harassment; if I lean out of a bar with some acquaintances, microphone or not, and aggressively harangue you and you mother based on your appearance, your shoe size or your politics – you would expect some protection from the law. The tag racial just allows triviality to creep into what may (or may not) have been a terrible experience for those involved.
Then again, freedom of speech has become gravely endangered in the UK (and in Europe). The Human Rights Act 1998 and the subsidiary acts, judgements and statutory instruments that have followed it mean that this basic English freedom is now not absolute. It does seem that merely taking offence is enough to put someone before the law for their speech. It seems there is a shrill cry now everytime someone says something mildly un-PC or against religion, for just war, it goes on. I personally would like to see a return to the very English virtues enshrined in the US Constitution that protect the fundamental freedoms of society (leave out the guns maybe). That document reflects the ideals of English philosophy at the time. By not having a written constitution ourselves we have allowed the elite to erode away our fundamental freedoms, while the US has remained steadfast (at least internally).
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Very well said sir.
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By jove, do you mean all senior police officers have 1st class honours degrees in gobbledegook!
The whole thing should never have happened, if the oriental gentleman who took offence does not like western music- he has an obvious choice- go back the China or wherever!
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As far as I can see, there is no evidence that it was the song he took offence to, do you know something the rest of us don’t?
As no charges have been laid, there is no danger of contempt of court, you can speak freely.
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Does this mean that anybody of a republican persuasion singing or playing the Sex Pistols’ ‘God save the Queen’ – and lyrics, tomorrow could be liable to potential arrest for public order offence?
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Not under the same provision, but under the powers delegated to Chief Constables to keep the peace under the Public Order Act – Yes, potentially that could lead to your arrest.
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During Cowes Week one crew managed to get a complete choir together.They were singing a Sex Pistols song on a nautical theme, no body really seemed to mind.
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In these matters there is always a line to be crossed and clearly the Chinese gentleman’s opinion was that his was crossed. Obviously some people’s lines are a lot thinner than others. But does that menat their rights are any different?
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Some people have very thin skins and a different type of humour.Although, if the musician was playing tunes to match fat people,Irish people or Chinese people in the audience,there was always the chance some of the above would take offence!
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i heard this mentioned on the radio news but didn’t realise it was an island story.
great song – one of my favourites!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhUkGIsKvn0
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“Police can confirm a 34-year-old man from Shanklin, Isle of Wight answered street bail by attending Newport Police Station on the evening of Wednesday, April 27, 2011”
I love that “a man is helping police with their enquiries” style of nonsense – takes you back to the 70s
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The police have so much power these days they can arrest people for virtually anything due to many of the pathetic laws introduced by the last Government and retained by the coalition.
If people can get arrested for taking photos of Government buildings in London, wearing controversial t-shirts, protesting around Parliament, playing Kung Foo fighting near Chinese people etc, then this simply proves our freedoms are being eroded.
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or could it be that people actually beleive what they read in the Sun despite it only taking place around the corner and the true story being available in every pub
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What has this got to do with the erosion of our freedoms? If you believe otherwise, then sadly you are being deluded and sleepwalking into a police state and big brother society.
Study some of the the laws the police can now use to arrest people and the many ridiculous arrests that have been made over the last 5 years or so under anti terrorism laws etc and it may open your eyes.
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I think No.5 (and lowerdrawerlawyer) actually DO have their eyes/ears/brains open rather than blind belief of everything written in the gutter tabloid media. At the end of the day the police weren’t snooping but acting upon a complaint from a member of the public, just as they should. Errosion of freedom? I think this person was standing up for his freedom to walk along a pavement and not be verbally abused/taunted/insulted/embarassed for the amusement of others.
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I don’t read the gutter tabloids and I’m not just looking at this incident. I’m using this as an example of how police powers are now being used to arrest people for something where there is no evidence of racial harassment or abuse. If people are going to start getting arrested for actions such as this, then I fear for our future freedoms.
I don’t think these people were ever verbally abused and it is very unlikely Mr Ledger had any malice in mind towards them. If the police are going to start arresting people for actions such as this, then thousands of people could find themselves in the nick every day.
The police would be better off concentrating on serious and violent crime instead of wasting time on incidents like this. Maybe a simple telling off would have been more appropriate than arresting him if it was found he was trying to be foolish.
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what nonsense…police to need to crack down on minor crime….worldwide examples of 0 tolerence massively improving people lives and stopping crime.
Siomon wasn’t meaningfully abusing people…he knowns no better and it raises a laugh from his target audience who still think ‘Love Thy neighbour’ and Jim Davison are funny.
I’m happy that the police investigate all complaints..rather than pick and choose which ones after all tomorrow you will be moaning that the police didn’t turn up when a crime was reported.
Which of YOUR freedoms have been eroded? Such a studid statement without clarification.. None of my freedoms have been eroded
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The way some of the laws are being used and introduced in this country, the day may come when it could even become illegal to post controversial comments on VB.
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I’m not saying the bloke was guilty or should have been charged but is ‘no further action because of insufficient evidence to confirm any criminal offence had been committed’ the police’s standard reply to EVERYTHING nowadays?
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Lets all go out and buy the record “Kung Fu Fighting” and make it a UK #1.
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The Police went over the top here arresting the man. If he did sing the song as they walked in,then just talking to him and warning him should have been enough.
When I reported a crime to the Police,they have not even bothered to get back to me,let alone look at forensic evidence at the scene of the crime. However,if it is an alleged”rascist” incident,they bend over backwards to make and arrest and investigate,even if the evidence is not there!
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agreed…But Simon ( and the Driftwood) court this type of attention and milk it….remember the ‘Fawlty Towers’ incident. It was bound to have a comeback oneday..now they will continue to milk it
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I am sure he will get extra gigs out of the publicity and the Driftwood too will benefit. Will do more for tourism in Sandown and the Isle of Wight in general than a week of adverts on the TV!
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yep…just think of all those sad old gits who miss a bit Bernard Manning flocking to our shores
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Sad old gits? Is this how you see you elderly people? It sounds like ageism abuse to me.
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no…just the sad old gits.
Now which of your freedoms have been eroded?
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I think it is you that is talking nonsense NO.5. I’m sure that many will agree, instead of having a rational debate, your comments often come over as arrogant whereby you think you are always right.
I’m not a conspiracy theorist although I’ve been studying the future big brother society and what is known as Liberal Fascism for a number of years. I’m not saying this type of society is going to happen tomorrow as it is a gradual thing although if we don’t stand up for our freedoms it will become a reality in years to come. Sadly it’s people like yourself that are being duped into believing such a future society is nonsense.
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sadely it is people like you who are being duped by fake stories.
Which of your Freedoms have been eroded?
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I’m not a political activist in that sense and I’m not talking about my own freedoms but the nation at large. Up to now I have been lucky in not having my freedoms eroded directly although there are many thousands of people that have. Just go online and you’ll find lot’s of cases worth reading about.
I can remmber when that 82 year old man was bundled out of the Labour Party conference a few years ago and threatened with an anti-terrorist offence. There have been people arrested for taking photos of buildings in the centre of London and other cities, wearing t-shirts with political slogans printed on them, peaceful demonstrators and political activists have been arrested and have had their DNA taken, cameras and mobiles confiscated, young black and asian people are often stopped and searched for no reason just because the colour of their skin.
I could go on and on although I’m sure you are more than capable of finding out more incidents of the encroaching big brother society online.
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thought you didn’t read the gutter press…well maybe you do…but do you know the background story to the 82 year old chucked out of the Labour conference?..probably not, because again you have accepted the tabloid story as fact….sigh!!!!!!!
well at least you admit none of your freedoms have been eroded…in that we are the same!
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“…protect the integrity of appropriate lines of enquiry.”
Why is it that policemen swallow dictionaries in a language they do not understand?
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