> That’s not really the same as what’s being discussed though it’s still troubling.

GP mentioned anti-royalist protester arrests and threats of arrest, you asked for a citation, I provided a link to a BBC article discussing those. How is it not "what's being discussed"? (At least in the context of this subthread.)

Fair point. But as I said, there was more to that story. And under relatively similar circumstances people are charged for protesting under similar laws in other countries too. Including ones that have freedom of speech written directly into their constitution.

So while I don’t agree with the UK arrests, it doesn’t prove that the UK is any more Orwellian than any other country.

> Thankfully common sense prevailed and those people weren’t convicted. meanwhile in other “less Orwellian” counties people are getting charged for similar actions:

> https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/protester-int...

Jumping over a barricade and disrupting a speech doesn't seem remotely comparable to holding up a blank piece of paper.