Police urge public to report insults that hurt feelings, but aren't crimes

[sl8]

From https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/09/10/police-urge-public-report-insults-hurt-feelings-arent-crimes/

Police urge public to report insults that hurt feelings, but aren't crimes

Coran Elliott and Jamie Johnson
10 SEPTEMBER 2018 • 7:44PM

A police force has urged people to report insults which make them feel bad even if they are not crimes.

Under the slogan ‘Hate Hurts’, South Yorkshire Police have called upon members of the public to report incidents they know not to be criminal in order to build up a wider picture of actions which cause distress to people within the community.

Non-crime hate incidents can include offensive or insulting comments made online, in person or in writing, but the campaign has drawn criticism from people who say the police have enough work to do.

The move has come after an incident in Barnsley’s market square involving a woman wielding a foot long kitchen knife, who was heard shouting ‘Kill, Kill, kill’’ by witnesses.

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More at link.

[AncientGeezer]

1. Thank 'dog' we have the 1stA....

"A police force has urged people to report insults which make them feel bad even if they are not crimes."...............you can't make up how dangerous that is.

[Sneederbunk]

2. Does that include dirty looks?

[msongs]

3. maybe it also includes a thought you had once for 5 seconds 30 yrs ago nt

[LeftishBrit]

4. Good thing to have info about verbal abuse; not so good to have the police doing it

The police are overextended already; plus the fact that, rightly or wrongly, people regard anything reported to the police as involving criminality.

But I don't quite see how wielding a huge knife in public, while saying 'kill kill kill' wouldn't be seen as at least bordering on criminality: surely it's threatening behavour, not just verbally hurtful?