UK Harrassment Charges Dropped

The case against a British minister for handing out leaflets at a gay pride event has been dropped. Unfortunately, the police are clearly engaging in doublespeak to justify the arrest in the first place.

South Wales Police force has defended its handling of the case, saying the CPS decison not to go ahead with the presecution of Mr Green due to insufficient evidence did not "challenge the legality" of his arrest.

But this is clearly nonsense. He was charged with using "threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress." They have the leaflet he was handing out and they observed his behavior. If that's not enough to justify going forward with the case, then it also wasn't enough to either arrest him or charge him. What other possible evidence could there be in such a case? Mr. Green is correct, he should never have been arrested, much less charged, and the fact that they are now dropping the charges for insufficent evidence proves that to be true.

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The important thing to remember is that British police forces never publicly admit that they were in the wrong - even when make themselves a laughing stock in so doing.

No police force ever admits that they were in the wrong, it's not unique to the UK.