Since when has a bad tattoo been a crime?
A bombed-mosque tattoo is moronic, but it's not a matter for the police.
Want unlimited, ad-free access? Become a spiked supporter.
What’s the most talked about tattoo of the moment? Until recently it was model Cara Delevingne’s weird lion design on her forefinger. But now there is another tatt grabbing the headlines – one that’s just led the bearer to be arrested.
Shaun Reah, 39, from South Shields, South Tyneside, has been nicked after being snapped on an English Defence League (EDL) rally displaying a tattoo featuring a cartoon of a mosque being blown up. According to a Northumbria Police spokesperson, Reah was arrested ‘on suspicion of using words or behaviour, or displaying written material with intent to stir up racial hatred’.
Come again? What hatred is actually being stirred up by a bad tattoo? Would anyone really feel motivated to blow up a mosque as a result of seeing it?
The one feeling the tattoo does seem to have stirred up is embarrassment – in Reah himself. Following the EDL demo, Reah had it removed because, as he told reporters, it was ‘just a daft thing to [have had done]’.
He can say that again. But should Reah be arrested and face possible criminal charges for sporting a daft tattoo? No matter how moronic the tattoo was, Reah should be free to ink whatever he likes on to his skin. The fashion police may want to have a word with him, but the real police should butt out.
Patrick Hayes is a columnist for spiked.
£1 a month for 3 months
You’ve hit your monthly free article limit.
Support spiked and get unlimited access.
Support spiked – £1 a month for 3 months
spiked is funded by readers like you. Only 0.1% of regular readers currently support us. If just 1% did, we could grow our team and step up the fight for free speech and democracy.
Become a spiked supporter and enjoy unlimited, ad-free access, bonus content and exclusive events – while helping to keep independent journalism alive.
———————————————————————————————————————————–
Exclusive January offer: join today for £1 a month for 3 months. Then £5 a month, cancel anytime.
———————————————————————————————————————————–
Monthly support makes the biggest difference. Thank you.
Comments
Want to join the conversation?
Only spiked supporters and patrons, who donate regularly to us, can comment on our articles.