Ireland anti-hate law pushed after Dublin riots could criminalize memes, poses free speech concerns

 

Ireland anti-hate law pushed after Dublin riots could criminalize memes, poses free speech concerns

Ireland's government is newly pushing an anti-hate speech law in the wake of riots that came in response to the stabbing of a woman and three children outside a primary school in Dublin.

"Language being proposed as law in Ireland means this could literally happen to you for having a meme on your phone," Elon Musk wrote on X, responding to another user who posted a gif of a police raid. Critics are widely slamming the legislation over freedom of speech concerns. 

Ireland was trending on Musk’s X Monday, as text circulated of the bill targeting any "offense of preparing or possessing material likely to incite violence or hatred against persons on account of their protected characteristics." 

Protected characteristics listed in the bill include national or ethnic origin, as well as "transgender and a gender other than those of male and female."

Tensions in Ireland are running high amid the war in Israel and immigration protests.