UK Police Forced to Respond After Ad Claimed “Being Offensive is an Offence”

Merseyside Police were forced to respond after officers took part in an electronic ad campaign outside a supermarket which claimed “being offensive is an offence,” with authorities later clarifying that it is in fact not an offence.

Over the weekend, the mobile electronic billboard was parked outside an Asda supermarket for a PR campaign.

“Being offensive is an offence” states the ad, which features a police badge superimposed over an LGBT rainbow flag.

“Merseyside Police stand with and support the LGBTQI+ community, we will not tolerate hate crime on any level. Come and speak to #TeamBeb,” states the text on the ad.

The billboard received a huge backlash, with many people pointing out that it is in fact not a criminal offence to be offensive.

Merseyside Police were forced to later clarify in a statement that “being an offensive is not in itself an offence.”

The force said that the ad was intended to “encourage people to report hate crime” and “although well intentioned was incorrect and we apologise for any confusion this may have caused.”

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