Peter Tatchell and friends send up Section 5 of the Public Order Act which outlaws “insulting” words. Section 5 was used in 2005 to arrest a student for calling a horse “gay”. The House of Lords will vote on amendment to remove the law on “insulting” words on Wednesday 12 December.
Victory!
The Reform Section 5 campaign succeeded in its aim to amend Section 5. The change is now incorporated in Section 57 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013 which will come into force on 1 February 2014.