Man Arrested For Photo of Burning Poppy On Facebook

Barence writes "A British man has been arrested for posting a picture of a burning poppy on Facebook. The poppy is a symbol of remembrance for those who died in war, and the arrest was made on Remembrance Sunday. 'A man from Aylesham has tonight been arrested on suspicion of malicious telecommunications,' Kent police said in a statement after the arrest. 'This follows a posting on a social network site of a burning poppy. He is currently in police custody awaiting interview.' The arrest has been criticized by legal experts. 'What was the point of winning either World War if, in 2012, someone can be casually arrested by @Kent_police for burning a poppy?' tweeted David Allen Green, who helped clear the British man who was prosecuted for a joke tweet threatening to blow up an airport."

But!

[Anonymous Coward]

But I thought America was the oppressive country hat hated free speech, surely this cant happen in the UK! Why Europeans are superior in every way to Americans!

Re:The point

[ohnocitizen]

Someone needs to talk to the tree of liberty about its ghoulish drinking problem.

What's a poppy?

[AK Marc]

Why is there no mention for those of us not in the UK what the symbolism of the poppy is. Is it like burning a flag? And why has nobody made the joke "Looks like the inmates are running the Aylesham"? Come on, it's easy.

Oh, poppy!

[Bleek II]

I thought it said puppy. I was a little freaked out by the tone of the writing.

Re:better yet

[Russ1642]

I hate Illinois Nazis.

Re:better yet

[EGenius007]

Hey guys, in my religion we have three sacred elements (conveniently a solid, liquid, and gas): coal, petroleum, and natural gas. It is strictly forbidden to burn them except in specially controlled religious ways, and it would be blasphemy for people to burn them for any other reason.

Enjoy your legally mandated return the 16th century, UK!

Re:better yet

[Richy_T]

Malted milk?

Re:The point

[GungaDan]

"(there was an old saying; worry more about arrows that hit you in the back more than ones that might hit you in the chest.)"

It's the ones in the knee that will really get you down.

Re:better yet

[AliasMarlowe]

Look up a fellow named Maltov, you might remember him for a certain drink in his name.

Perhaps you should have looked him up yourself. You're probably referring to the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact [wikipedia.org], and to the Molotov cocktail [wikipedia.org], a weapon named to dishonor the same Molotov.

Re:better yet

[Half-pint HAL]

He might have spotted the reference if it wasn't the middle of the night and he wasn't wearing shades....