Summary
Lucy Connolly was sentenced to 31 months in jail for a tweet that called for violence against asylum seekers, which was viewed over 310,000 times. Her case sparked a debate about free speech limits and the legal system, but a court upheld her sentence, saying it was not too harsh.
Key Facts
- Lucy Connolly wrote a tweet asking for asylum seeker hotels to be set on fire.
- The tweet followed a false rumor linking an immigrant to killings in Southport.
- Connolly had about 9,000 followers on social media at the time.
- The tweet was viewed 310,000 times before it was deleted a few hours later.
- A court sentenced her to 31 months for inciting racial hatred.
- The Court of Appeal judges refused to reduce her sentence.
- Connolly's appeal was supported by the Free Speech Union.
- The case highlighted concerns about free speech and police actions online.
