The IBA's alarmism about US politics rings particularly hollow given the scale of free speech policing on its own doorstep.

The irony is rich, considering the UK police make over 30 arrests per day (more than 12,000 annually in recent years) for "offensive" or "grossly offensive" social media posts under laws like Section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 and the Malicious Communications Act 1988.[0] These arrests have more than doubled since 2017, often targeting posts deemed to cause "annoyance," "inconvenience," or "anxiety," even if they involve no direct threat of violence.[1]

[0]: https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/police-make-30-arr...

[1]: https://freedomhouse.org/country/united-kingdom/freedom-net/...