Recent events in England have given Canadians a glimpse of what to expect next.
RCMP officers in the British Columbia city of Chilliwack have arrested a woman for using “harmful language” on social media.
Local police worked with the province’s hate crimes unit, as well as members of the public, to indentify the woman, as was reported by Chilliwack media.
The suspect could potentially face several charges, none of which have been approved by the courts. The post made references to the South Asian community, according to police.
The suspect’s name and picture have not been released. The arrest comes as people across the pond in England have faced charges and jail time for social media posts.
British men Tyler Kay and Jordan Parlour were recently sentenced to 38 months and 20 months in prison respectively for social media posts the stated deemed offensive, as was reported by the BBC.
With the introduction of the Online Harms Act, Canadians’ social media activity could come under further scrutiny, and people could spend life in prison for social media posts the Trudeau government deems offensive, as was previously reported by Toronto 99.
The news of the woman’s arrest for wrongspeak was met with backlash from conservatives online, with one woman suggesting the police should focus their energy on child predators.
“9 months of calling for the deaths of Jews? RCMP says no problem,” wrote another concerned Canadian in response to the arrest in Chilliwack.
“What could this woman have possibly said that is worse than that? If I were Jewish I might be suing the RCMP over racially biased law enforcement.”
The recent arrest is a reminder for Canadians to be cautious about what they post online, as police across the country have ramped up their attacks on free speech due to pressure from the Trudeau government.
Did you like this article? Consider a small donation.
