It goes without saying that this appears to be another appalling unprovoked killing but I'm not sure I like the BBC's choice of headline:
Quote:
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Teens arrested in Polish 'hate crime' Harlow murder probe
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-37227313
Quote:
Six teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of killing a Polish man in a possible hate crime.
Arkadiusz Jozwik, 40, was left with head injuries after an unprovoked attack in Harlow, Essex, on Saturday night. He died on Monday evening. His friend, a 43-year-old man, suffered hand and stomach injuries.
Harlow MP Robert Halfon said the killing would be "all the more disturbing and shocking" if it turned out to be a hate crime.
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The facts are not yet known and it may well turn out to be the case that the guy's nationality had nothing at all to do with the attack. As it is, headlines like this will raise concerns unnecessarily IMHO and could even lead to a backlash of some sort.
If I'm in a shop, get annoyed by some rowdy yobs and tell them to shut up then one of them calls me a fat old git, punches me and kills me is that a hate crime too or is it only if I happen to be of another nationality, colour or whatever?
If someone is singled out for no other reason than their race, colour etc. then it seems to me 'hate crime' might be appropriate terminology but where the issue of nationality, colour etc. is incidental I don't see why it would be any worse a crime and we don't yet know the answer to that.
