Been insulted, tell us about it

A POLICE force has provoked ridicule by urging the public to report to ‘report non-crime hate incidents’, including offensive comments ‘online, in person or in writing’.

The invitation was on the Twitter site of South Yorkshire Police. It said: ‘Hate will not be tolerated in South Yorkshire.’

However, some of the force’s social media followers responded with astonishment. Gareth Roberts asked: ‘Will non-officers nonarrest the non-criminal?’ Maddy Dibble commented: ‘This is totally Orwellian.’ Another user asked: ‘Are you actually serious?’

Mark Roberts, the force’s Deputy Chief Constable said recording such incidents would let the force ‘gain a fuller understanding of actions which cause distress to people.’