It is deeply shocking that a Conservative councillor thought he could use West Midlands Police as his personal tool to silence comments he disliked about himself — especially when they were made by a 15-year-old child.
More shocking still is that West Midlands Police investigated and arrested the child. This is not an isolated case: the force has a record of zealously acting on complaints about “hurty words” online.
Calling someone a “rent boy” may be personally offensive to the councillor, but it is not a hate crime.
We are in the UK, not North Korea. Politicians must not be able to use the police to silence people who insult them.
This is a blatant abuse of power — an assault on both free speech and democracy.
🚨NEW: Four police officers turned up and arrested a 15-year-old schoolboy and Reform UK activist after he compared a Tory councillor to a "rent-boy"