> free speech zones' in the US which have not been a thing in years, maybe more than a decade

This is from 2024

https://www.thefire.org/news/how-milwaukee-and-chicago-circu...

Nobody has been arrested in the UK for holding a blank sign. Please stop saying it.

Edit: I agree with you about many of these posts, and it’s quite frustrating. Perhaps I should go for a walk.

> look at the other guy replying to my comments,

And look at you - making incorrect assertions about both free speech zones (they are still used) and your central point about the arrest of a protestor who it turns out wasn't arrested.

It's sad that you're not going to walk away from this discussion thinking "Huh, maybe I wasn't very well informed, it's pretty terrible in both countries so calling out the UK as significantly worse might actually be wrong" but instead believe you were attacked by unreasonable, tribal British people defending authoritiarianism.

But that's arguing on the internet I guess.

By the way, here's another example of the use free speech zones and the arrests of people for having their say -

https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/11/12/protesters-keep-gett...

"Since state officials created a “free speech zone,” local police continue to make arrests that have “no apparent purpose other than just intimidating people away from that line, and sending a message that they’re going to be controlling the area with force,” said civil rights attorney Joe DiCola."

Suppression of protest is unfortunately a popular thing for governments in a lot of places right now. It's as bad (if not worse) in Australia, where I live, especially in New South Wales where they seem determined to find a pretext to ban any and all marches.

And to make it absolutely clear - I do not support any of it nor am I defending the actions of the UK authorities. Also not a monarchist, that family of parasites needs to be stripped of all powers, lands and assets stolen from the British and other peoples, and I was disgusted by what the British authorities did to suppress dissent leading up to the coronation of King big-ears.