At 14:30 yesterday in George Square, Glasgow, an out-of-control bin lorry mounted the pavement, killing 6 people and injuring at least 8 more. Social media was quick to react and many Twitter users offered their support and heartfelt condolences to the families affected by the incident, which occurred just 3 days before Christmas.
One Twitter user, however, used the tragedy as a setup for a joke.
Ross Loraine, a 19 year-old man from Sunderland, tweeted: "So a bin lorry has crashed into 100 people in Glasgow eh, probably the most trash it's picked up in one day that." Following his distasteful and insensitive tweet yesterday, Ross reportedly handed himself in to the police today and has been bailed following his arrest.
In response to news of his arrest, Twitter has become a moral battleground, with very few people occupying the middle ground. On one side, users outraged by the 'joke' have no sympathy for the Sunderland teenager, and believe that his arrest is justified. On the other side are people questioning free speech.
Free speech is as precious as it is important, and it is something that all of us here in the UK, at some time or another, have taken for granted. Myself included. So where exactly do we draw the line?
Ross was reportedly arrested on the grounds of "making a malicious communication," according to Northumbria Police. There are few who would disagree that the comment was in poor taste and offensive to certain readers, but who has the right not to be offended?
The "malicious communications" act makes it illegal to send electronic communications for the purpose of causing distress or anxiety. That is an act that, in this case, will be very hard to prove. It seems to me that Ross' intention, however wildly inappropriate it may have been, was to make a joke, not cause distress or anxiety.
Condemn the joke, not free speech.
Many comedians have made 'offensive' or 'tasteless' jokes, the most notable of these being Frankie Boyle. Boyle, who infamously joked about Richard Hammond's near-death accident and Rebecca Adlington's appearance, faced immense backlash from both the media and social media as a result of his comments. Despite the offense caused by his jokes, he wasn't arrested, and nor should he have been.
As wonderful a thing as free speech is, like everything, it can be both good and bad. It is how we choose to use this privilege that ultimately defines the type of person that we are, and this is where Ross Loraine's punishment should lie. He chose to Tweet the joke and now faces vicious backlash from outraged Twitter users who have condemned his comment. They think less of him due to the way he chose to exercise his right to free speech and he now has to deal with that.