Human Rights
U.K. man arrested for posting a meme mocking the transgender flag
Hampshire officers confronted and then arrested the man who posted a meme of a trans flag shaped like a swastika
August 4, 2022 7:17pm
Updated: August 5, 2022 9:32am
The United Kingdom arrested a man on Thursday for posting an allegedly offensive tweet that mocked the transgender flag.
In a viral video shared on social media, Hampshire officers confronted and then arrested the man who posted a meme of a trans flag shaped like a swastika.
“Someone has been caused anxiety based on your social media post. And that is why you’re being arrested,” said an officer.
“Someone has been caused anxiety based on your social media post. And that is why you’re being arrested.” British policing, 2022. pic.twitter.com/D4MZhbXq08
— Paul Embery (@PaulEmbery) July 30, 2022
The person who was filming the video was also arrested by police.
The man who created the tweet was arrested for “malicious communications,” while the man who recorded the video was arrested for “obstructing an arrest, according to the BBC.
According to the Hampshire government, “malicious communication” is any act that “relates to the sending of indecent, offensive or threatening letters, electronic communication, or articles with the intent to cause the recipient distress or anxiety” and that it “is a criminal offense, which could result in prosecution and a criminal record.”
If you saw this video go viral, the details are even more insane.
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) July 31, 2022
British police arrested a guy for posting this meme on social media of the trans flag shaped like a swastika.
They also arrested the guy who filmed the video for good measure. pic.twitter.com/1nnUxZR0jU
The arrest created a wave of backlash, with critics claiming that the arrest was an act of censorship. Even Hampshire’s Police & Crime Commissioner Donna Jones condemned the actions of her officers.
“I am concerned about both the proportionality and necessity of the police’s response to this incident,” she said.
"When incidents on social media receive not one but two visits from police officers, but burglaries and non-domestic break-ins don't always get a police response, something is wrong," she continued.
Jones said she would write to the College of Policing to encourage “greater clarification” and ensure that police officers respond “more appropriately in the future.”
The man who created the meme, 51, has since been released and will not face further actions.
The police force said that the officers were “acting in good faith” after having been sent to investigate the image.
