Police investigating criminal offense after Daily Telegraph columnist 'stunned' by social media investigation

Essex Police said they were investigating a criminal offense related to alleged incitement of racial hatred after Daily Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson said she was “stunned and upset” when officers knocked on her door last Sunday.

Ms Pearson explained that she was told she was being investigated for a post on the internet that had been deleted for a year.

He claimed that he was not informed about which post was reported, but that it could be related to the attacks in Israel on October 7 or the pro-Palestinian marches.

He claimed officers told him he was being investigated for NCHI, an incident that involves an act thought to be motivated by hostility or prejudice towards people with a particular characteristic but is not illegal.

The NCHI reports have long been controversial, with many people raising free speech concerns, and Ms Pearson’s account of the police visit sparked widespread support from Conservatives and online commentators, including the leader of the Conservative Party. Kemi Badenoch.

But one essex A police spokesman told Sky News the investigation was never related to an NCHI and that the matter had always been treated as an investigation into a criminal offense for alleged incitement of racial hatred.

Speaking on the Planet Normal podcast on Wednesday, Ms Pearson said she found the visit “chilling”.

“I’m surprised, I’m saddened, it’s not very nice,” he said. “I was in my dressing gown on the steps of the house, and these two policemen were there, just outside the door.

“There were people gathering for the Memorial Day parade, and there were people watching from the other side of the road.

“No matter what I do or don’t tweet, if someone finds it offensive, that’s still no reason for me to have two cops come to my house on Sunday morning.

“You know, they don’t do that for thieves, do they? We know that the police force is under-resourced and often unable to respond to quite serious crimes.”

“This was the most extraordinary overreach and state intrusion into my private life and I don’t think I did anything wrong and I think their reaction was outrageous.”

In a statement, Essex Police said: “Officers attended an address in Essex and invited a woman for a voluntary meeting.

“They said it was related to an investigation into alleged incitement of racial hatred in connection with a post on social media.

“To be clear, a report has been made to the police regarding a possible criminal offense and that is why we called – to arrange a meeting.

“Everyone was polite and professional throughout the brief conversation.”

They said an officer told Ms Pearson: “This was treated as an incident or offense that had the potential to incite racial hatred online. That would be the offence.”

Essex Police said they had lodged a complaint with the Independent Press Standards Organization (IPSO) over what they called “false reporting” regarding the ongoing investigation.

What is a non-criminal hate incident?

Non-criminal hate incidents (NCHIs) are defined as an incident involving an action deemed by the government to be motivated by hostility or prejudice towards individuals with a particular characteristic.

These characteristics may include race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and transgender identity.

These incidents do not constitute crimes, but they are reported to the police and recorded if they lead to more serious damage or indicate an increase in tension in society.

Anyone can make a police report, whether or not they are directly affected by the alleged NCHI.

Not all incidents reported to the police are recorded as NCHI.

According to the government, they must meet this threshold: “A single incident or incident that disrupts or concerns the quality of life of an individual, group or community.”

Furthermore, personal data of the reported person should only be included in reports if the incident in question poses a “real risk of serious harm” to individuals or groups with a particular characteristic and/or a real risk of a criminal offense occurring in the future . takes place against them.

The NCHI records have their origins in the murder of Stephen Lawrence, who was killed by a gang of racist attackers as he ran to catch a bus in south-east London in 1993.

The inquest into his death in 1999 called for the creation of “a comprehensive system for reporting and recording all racist incidents and crimes”.

The first guidance on the NCHI was published in 2005, but updates have been made over the years in response to scrutiny regarding the protection of free expression.

The latest guidance was published in June 2023, where an updated code of practice sets out a “common sense and proportionate approach that should be taken by the police”.

The guidance, introduced under the Conservative government, clarified that “legally expressed argument, humour, satire and personal views do not in themselves form the basis for recording an NCHI” and that if police breach this, an NCHI should not be recorded. Considering a report to be “unimportant” or “unreasonable.”

One report In yesterday’s issue of The Telegraph, Kemi Badenoch said it was “absolutely wrong” for the police to visit a journalist because of a social media post and that “we need to look at the laws on hate incidents other than crime”.

“There is a long-standing problem with people not taking freedom of expression seriously,” he said.

He challenged the Prime Minister to review the laws, saying: “Keir Starmer says he’s someone who believes in this stuff. Now he needs to show that he actually believes it. All we’ve seen from him is the opposite.”

Ms Badenoch added: “We need to stop wasting police time on trivial matters because people don’t like something like they’re in a nursery.

“It’s like kids reporting to each other. And I think in some cases the police do that because they’re afraid that if they don’t they too will be accused of not taking these matters seriously.”

Essex Police said officers attended the address to invite Ms Pearson to a voluntary interview as part of an investigation which had been transferred to them by another force.

“The report relates to a social media post that has since been removed,” the statement said. The statement was included.

“An investigation is currently underway under Section 17 of the Public Order Act.”

Essex Police also said they attempted to contact Ms Pearson before the visit.

Prominent Conservative voices including Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Chris Philp have also come to Ms Pearson’s defense online; So does X owner Elon Musk, who quoted a post about the incident and said, “This needs to stop.”

What is a non-criminal hate incident?

Related Posts