Police Haul Man To Court For Posting Coffin Dance Meme About Arnold Cassola
The police are criminally prosecuting a man for posting a meme on Facebook that poked fun at independent MEP candidate Arnold Cassola.
Jesmond Muscat is being charged with insulting and threatening Cassola after he posted the popular dancing pallbearers meme, along with a photo of Cassola, with the words “RIP Cassola”, and the caption “Come on, let’s celebrate”.
Cassola reported Muscat to the police, who promptly took action against him. The case reached court this week, with Cassola testifying that he felt Muscat’s meme “celebrated his death” and amounted to an incitement of violence.
“I don’t report the majority of the questionable comments that I receive because while they may disagree with me they are entitled to their opinion,” he said.
Cassola also exhibited a comment that Muscat left under one of his posts, telling him to “be careful that someone doesn’t punch you in the face” along with the image of a toilet.
This is the latest example of police prosecuting someone over an alleged speech crime against a prominent person in the public eye. Most notably, comedian Daniel Xuereb was charged by police for calling River of Love pastor Gordon Manché an “asshole” during a comedy show.
Do you think the police’s actions are a threat to free speech?
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