Speech Police Arrest 30 People a Day for 'Offensive' Social Media Posts
- Philip James
- Apr 7
- 3 min read
Thought Crime Britain
Thousands silenced by force, as police arrests for social media posts skyrocket.
Last week a couple from Hertfordshire, Maxie Allen and Rosalind Levine were arrested at home after criticising their daughter's school in a private whatsapp message. Astonishingly, the couple found six police officers at their door following discussing their concerns about the school’s headteacher recruitment process. They had not sent any malicious communication to the school, not written anything threatening, defamatory, or likely to insight violence, and yet, they were both arrested, in front of their disabled daughter, placed in handcuffs, bundled into the back of a police van before being interrogated for some 11 hours.
The chilling story made national news prompting the Times to investigate just how common such incidents really are, and shockingly, they discovered that British police arrest an average of 30 people a day for posting 'offensive messages' on social media.
The Times report that British police arrest an average of 30 people a day for “offensive online messages” on social media and other platforms — a shocking statistic that proves JD Vance was right about Brits having no free speech.
Custody data obtained by The Times shows that officers are making about 12,000 arrests a year under section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 and section 1 of the Malicious Communications Act 1988.
The acts make it illegal to cause distress by sending “grossly offensive” messages or sharing content of an “indecent, obscene or menacing character” on an electronic communications network. But The Times reveals thousands of people are actually being detained and questioned for sending messages that cause “annoyance,” “inconvenience,” or “anxiety” to others via the internet, telephone, or mail.
Officers from 37 police forces made 12,183 arrests in 2023, the equivalent of about 33 per day. This marks an increase from previous years and signals a growing crackdown on online communications that some see as heavy-handed.
Critics argue that the legislation, while originally intended to protect people from genuine threats and harassment, is now being applied too broadly, chilling free expression. Messages that some would simply find rude, sarcastic, or politically incorrect are increasingly leading to arrest, police interviews, and prison time.
Silkie Carlo, director of the civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, warned, “The criminalisation of speech that merely causes offence or inconvenience is a serious threat to democracy. Arrests for speech are becoming dangerously normalised.” She added that the high volume of arrests should prompt an urgent review of how communications laws are being used.
The laws were introduced in an era before the explosion of modern social media platforms, long before apps like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok became part of daily life. Many free speech campaigners argue that the legislation is now outdated and unfit for the digital age. Rather than encouraging respectful discourse, they say the laws have created an environment where people self-censor out of fear.
Defenders of the current law, however, say that online abuse has become a real and growing problem. They argue that without legal consequences, vulnerable individuals — including children, minorities, and victims of harassment — would be left exposed to relentless digital hate campaigns. However, there is no evidence that this is really the case, and free speech campaigners have been quick to point out that this is being used as an excuse by an authoritarian government to clamp down on speech they don't like.
A spokesperson for the National Police Chiefs’ Council said: “Police forces take reports of malicious communication very seriously. In an online world where threats, bullying, and harassment can cause real harm, it is essential that forces have the tools to respond appropriately.”
Still, the question remains: where should the line be drawn between genuine protection and the suppression of free speech? Recent high-profile cases have stoked the debate. In one case, a teenager was arrested for sharing a meme that authorities deemed offensive. In another, a man was detained after posting a controversial comment about a public figure.
Political figures are beginning to take notice. Several Members of Parliament have called for a review of speech-related laws to ensure that the right to express unpopular or offensive opinions is not being eroded.
David Davis, a Conservative MP and former Brexit secretary, said: “Freedom of speech includes the freedom to say things that other people might not like. The current situation is untenable and risks making the United Kingdom a laughingstock on the world stage.”
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