I’ll defend Allison Pearson’s right to be obnoxious – as she should defend mine | Kenan Malik

Police investigation into writer’s alleged tweet has sparked a debate over free speech, albeit a somewhat selective one

There are few columnists with whom I disagree more than I do with the Daily Telegraph’s Allison Pearson. Yet, I welcome the decision by the police to drop their investigation into her alleged tweet. This should never have been a matter for the police. At the same time, the debate sparked by the investigation has shown how selective many free speech campaigners are about the speech they are willing to defend.

The facts of the case remain contested. It appears that in November 2023, Pearson retweeted a photo of police officers standing next to two men holding a flag. “Invited to pose for a photo with lovely peaceful British Friends of Israel on Saturday police refused. Look at this lot smiling with the Jew haters,” she wrote, apparently jumping to the conclusion that the image was of Metropolitan police officers with demonstrators from a pro-Palestinian march.

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I’ll defend Allison Pearson’s right to be obnoxious – as she should defend mine | Kenan Malik

Topics

Related

Police defend investigation into journalist Allison Pearson's social media post

Allison Pearson says she felt 'bullied' in police probe

Essex Police drops Allison Pearson investigation

Business leaders and their associations should take a stand to defend democracy

Kevin Costner defends Liz Cheney: 'This woman should never be threatened'

Owner Jeff Bezos defends Washington Post's decision not to endorse as the right, 'principled' one

Anatomy of a non-scandal: the defence of Allison Pearson reveals how ‘free speech’ has been weaponised | Jane Martinson

Our first political prisoner? No. Locking up dissenters is an ignoble British tradition | Kenan Malik

Today’s populism is informed by bigotry, but its roots lie in the promise of equality | Kenan Malik

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