Woman filmed allegedly shouting racial abuse on tram will spend Christmas in prison

[alp227]

Source: The Guardian

A woman who was filmed allegedly shouting racial abuse at fellow passengers on a tram in south London will spend Christmas in prison after she was remanded in custody during a court appearance. She has been charged with a racially aggravated public order offence.

Emma West, 34, from New Addington, south London, cried as magistrates watched a video of the incident, which has been viewed more than 11m times since it appeared online on 27 November. She was arrested after the footage was posted on YouTube.

A bail application was made at Croydon magistrates court by West's solicitor, David Ewings, but it was denied by the magistrate Ian McNeal.

She was remanded in custody to appear by videolink for a committal hearing on 3 January.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/dec/06/christmas-prison-women-tram-youtube

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The video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i47HoiM0Au8

[ZombieHorde]

1. The punishment does not fit the crime in my opinion.

I could understand being kicked off the tram for a while, but prison is too much.

[Skittles]

2. doesn't fix her problem either

[canetoad]

10. She has apparently been threatened

A bail application was made by Ms West's solicitor David Ewings, but it was denied by the magistrate Ian McNeal to protect her safety.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-16051120

(Take this with the usual pinch of salt reserved for most Daily Mail material)
Magistrates chairman Ian McNeal said during the hearing: ‘We are told that your address has been widely circulated on Facebook and Twitter and there has been numerous death threats.

‘This case has attracted a high degree of public interest as evidence today. For these reasons we are remanding you in custody for your own protection.’
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2070647/Woman-tram-pleads-guilty-court-views-video-racist-rant.html

[lbrtbell]

15. Prison is really a bit much - n/t

[blueclown]

3. Non-violent criminal spends excessive amount of time in jail.

Sounds familiar.

[Brooklyns_Finest]

4. Jeez

I am glad I live in America. Going to jail for saying the wrong thing seems mighty un-democratic.

[bertman]

6. In Asheville, NC, a local attorney was jailed because she CURSED AT a magistrate. Just sayin'. nt

[leftynyc]

17. I'm guessing she said it in court

That's contempt of court - she could have said anything she liked if she had waited until she was outside. Is she wasn't in the court house, she has a shitty lawyer.

[bertman]

19. According to the newspaper article she went to the Magistrate's office.

From the Asheville Citizen-Times:

"Foster was charged with contempt Nov. 5 and jailed for two days for allegedly cursing at a magistrate over Occupy Asheville arrests. She had gone to the Buncombe County Magistrate's Office to check on outstanding warrants for Occupy members being sought in connection with a downtown march three days before.



In her motions, Foster contends she was illegally arrested and confined and that there is insufficient evidence for contempt, among other points."



Two days in jail. Gawd Bless Amerika!

[LanternWaste]

18. Precisely.

"Going to jail for saying the wrong thing seems mighty un-democratic...."

Precisely. Yelling 'bomb' on an airplane or screaming 'fire' at the opera is my right as an American.



Unless of course we allow for the position that not every enumerated right is absolute in and of itself... :shrug:

[dballance]

5. So I guess "Muslim" is the new n-word.

[Tempest]

8. Did you watch the video?

It had nothing to do with the word Muslim.

[dipsydoodle]

7. Community service would have been more approriate.

Banging her for Xmas serves no useful purpose whatsoever.

[MarkCharles]

9. Much too harsh a punishment, in my opinion. Serves no purpose. How about a

fine of a few hundred pounds, or community service, and no detention in a prison?

[walerosco]

12. or just suspending her from

using the TRAM for 1 week for bd behaviour. Theres something not right sending someone to prison(even for her own good) for hate speech. What happened to sticks and stones can break my bones but words will never hurt me?

[we can do it]

11. Allegedly? I saw it with my own eyes

just what the hell is wrong with the loon?

[rhett o rick]

13. And yet Sandusky walks a free man. nm

[Freddie Stubbs]

20. For now...

[toddwv]

14. Seems a bit harsh.

I know she has some serious issues. What kind of pos sits on a tram with your kid in your lap while screaming racist obscenities at other travelers? Still, prison? A fine and some community service seems more in order. Social services should also keep an eye on her kid because she seems barely fit to be a mother.

[provis99]

16. there needs to be a flash mob on this topic in London.

assemble a flash mob of 10,000 people, of all races, and have them pleasantly hurl racial insults at each other. then let the cops deal with the enforcement of this moronic law.

Heck, going to a West Ham football game is like attending a full on KKK rally; how come they don't arrest the whole crowd there?

[pam4water]

21. Put here in next to Martha Stewart. Why is it always that women who end up as over punished

object lessons.

[Lance_Boyle]

22. Seriously?

That's about the most absurd statement I've ever read on DU, and I've read a bunch. You honestly think the criminal justice system favors men over women? Do you have any examples other than this British lady and Martha Stewart? What about the "too pretty for jail" child molester? Think that defense works more often for men? What about the twit who maced fellow shoppers at a walmart black friday event and will face no penalty for her assault? Would a man discharging a pepper spray canister in the same situation face no charges? Your bias is just... absurd.

[truebrit71]

23. Good. And get that kid sent to a good home as well...

...

[Xithras]

24. Stories like this remind me why America is the better nation (despite our plethora of problems)

Getting jail time for expressing an opinion, no matter how much of an asshole you may be, simply seems insane to me. Voltaire was right.