Joe Rogan criticizes UK free speech crackdown amidst bloody riots

Joe Rogan, in a recent episode of his podcast 'The Joe Rogan Experience,' voiced his concerns about the ongoing riots in the United Kingdom, particularly highlighting the implications for free speech.

The riots, which began on 30 July, have engulfed England, Northern Ireland, and Wales, following a mass stabbing in Southport on 29 July that left three children dead. The attacker was falsely identified on social media as a Muslim and an asylum seeker, leading to far-right protests and widespread violence. The unrest has seen racist attacks, arson, and looting, marking the worst disorder in England since the 2011 riots.

Rogan criticised what he perceives as severe government overreach in the UK, especially concerning restrictions on free speech. He argued that the government is becoming increasingly authoritarian, noting, "You’re seeing it now in England where people are getting arrested for tweets." Rogan further highlighted the disparity in arrests for so-called "thought crimes" between the UK and other countries, stating, "I think there’s something like 4,000 people who have been arrested in England for thought crimes... and I think it’s only 200 in Russia."

He expressed deep concern about the implications of these arrests, saying, "The fact that they’re comfortable with finding people who've said something that they disagree with and putting them in a cage in England in 2024 is really wild." Rogan also questioned the subjectivity of hate speech laws, warning, "Even if you say, ‘Yeah, well, people shouldn’t tweet hateful things,’ who’s to decide what is a hateful thing? That’s the problem."