A bill introduced in the House of Lords to increase penalties against extremists inciting unrest at public meetings met sharp criticism today from some Tory and Labor MP’s as inadequate.
The bill was introduced in accordance with the promise of Home Secretary Henry Brooke in the House of Commons last week to increase penalties against such offenders. Under its provisions, the maximum punishment for trying to break up public meetings would be 12 months in jail and a fine of 500 pounds ($1,400).
Members of Parliament of both the Conservative and Labor parties pressed the Home Secretary to have the proposed bill include a specific statement to be made part of the Public Order Act that incitement on racial and religious grounds was a punishable offense.
In its present form, the measure provides for maximum penalties for offensive behavior at meetings or for trying to break them up of three months jail or 100 pounds ($280) fine or both on summary punishment. On conviction or indictment, the stiffest penalties would be the 12 months jail or 500 pounds fine or both.
Before introducing the bill, the Home Secretary cited the neo-Nazi rallies and clashes and noted that they led to the prosecution and jail sentences for Colin Jordan and other members of Britain’s National Socialist movement.
“The Government is determined that extremists should not be allowed to provoke violence by stirring up racial hatreds,” Brooke said. “The action so far taken under the existing law has been effective and offenders have been punished. The people of this country are united in their detestation of fascism and in their determination not to allow abuse of free speech by extremists leading to the breach of the peace.”
He pledged that if further legislative action was found necessary, the Government would not hesitate to seek it “for we are determined that the law shall be fully adequate to deal with any persons or groups whose words or actions give rise to breaches of the peace.”
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