Richard
Cricket Web Staff Member
If it's just shouting "you black blah-blah-blah" at someone, yes, arresting is going OTT.
When it's - as Swervy mentioned - things that could be considered to be "inciting racial hatred" I've no problem with arrests being made, none at all. And I think that, especially given it's blatant copycatting, this does indeed fall into that category.
Naturally, beatings is always going too far though - at least if the police were involved. (That is - I'd be quite happy to give some idiot a beating myself were one to racially abuse friends of mine, for instance)
When it's - as Swervy mentioned - things that could be considered to be "inciting racial hatred" I've no problem with arrests being made, none at all. And I think that, especially given it's blatant copycatting, this does indeed fall into that category.
Naturally, beatings is always going too far though - at least if the police were involved. (That is - I'd be quite happy to give some idiot a beating myself were one to racially abuse friends of mine, for instance)