Up to two years in prison

It’s now in the news. The Times:

A prominent feminist has been charged with a hate crime for alleged homophobic and transphobic social media posts.

Marion Millar, 50, from Airdrie, was charged under the Malicious Communications Act for tweets published in 2019 and 2020. If convicted she faces up to two years in prison.

The messages investigated by officers are understood to include a retweeted photograph of a bow of ribbons in the green, white and purple colours of the Suffragettes, tied around a tree outside the Glasgow studio where a BBC soap opera is shot.

Two years in prison for that?

Peak Stalinism.

It is one [of] at least six tweets reported to Police Scotland. The nature of the others is unclear. Millar, who owns an accountancy business, was bailed to appear at Glasgow sheriff court on July 20.

Has Police Scotland ever prosecuted anyone for sending actual violent threats to women on Twitter?

Marion Calder of For Women Scotland, which campaigns for sex-based rights, said it was “incredibly disappointing” that police had chosen to press charges. “Women won’t wheesht,” Calder said. “These charges are a fundamental attack on our human rights. We still have the right to free thought and the ability to speak our minds.”

The right but not, it seems, the freedom.

A report was made to police after a Twitter user, who was identified as a PhD student in Coventry, published a picture of a machinegun and tweeted: “Making a nice list of terfs tweeting @WomenWontWheesht because she needs target practice.” The message was removed for violating Twitter rules.

That’s a very opaque paragraph. What is “after” meant to convey there? Is there a connection between the machine gun tweet and the report to police? If so, what is the connection?

Police Scotland confirmed that a 50-year-old woman had been arrested and charged in connection with online communications offences. A spokeswoman said: “She has been released on an undertaking to appear at court at a later date. A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.”

Well, I hope they laugh a scornful laugh and throw the report out.

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