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| What can't you have on a T-shirt? | What can't you have on a T-shirt? |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| WHO, WHAT, WHY? The Magazine answers... | WHO, WHAT, WHY? The Magazine answers... |
| T-shirt slogans are a well-tested means of provoking a reactionA man is risking a fine for having an "offensive" slogan on his T-shirt. So, what can you print on one? | T-shirt slogans are a well-tested means of provoking a reactionA man is risking a fine for having an "offensive" slogan on his T-shirt. So, what can you print on one? |
| He thought it was a bit of a laugh, but Peterborough City Council failed to see the funny side of David Pratt's T-shirt. | |
| He has been threatened with a £80 penalty notice after wearing a top with the slogan: "Don't piss me off! I am running out of places to hide the bodies." | He has been threatened with a £80 penalty notice after wearing a top with the slogan: "Don't piss me off! I am running out of places to hide the bodies." |
| After an official complaint was made to the council, street wardens told Mr Pratt his T-shirt could cause offence or incite violence. He faces an on-the-spot fine from the police if he wears it again. | After an official complaint was made to the council, street wardens told Mr Pratt his T-shirt could cause offence or incite violence. He faces an on-the-spot fine from the police if he wears it again. |
| Interpretation | Interpretation |
| What you can and can't print on a T-shirt is largely down to interpretation. What one person might find funny, another could find insulting - a point reinforced in the comments of Mr Pratt's wife, Elly, who bought the T-shirt in Los Angeles. | What you can and can't print on a T-shirt is largely down to interpretation. What one person might find funny, another could find insulting - a point reinforced in the comments of Mr Pratt's wife, Elly, who bought the T-shirt in Los Angeles. |
| THE ANSWER Using offensive, abusive, or insulting language is a criminal offence under the Public Order Act This applies printed words as well as spoken ones Fine threat over T-shirt slogan Mrs Pratt doesn't consider the offending word to be a swear word. "It is not particularly nice word, but in my view is not a swear word," she said. | THE ANSWER Using offensive, abusive, or insulting language is a criminal offence under the Public Order Act This applies printed words as well as spoken ones Fine threat over T-shirt slogan Mrs Pratt doesn't consider the offending word to be a swear word. "It is not particularly nice word, but in my view is not a swear word," she said. |
| Using offensive, abusive, or insulting language is a criminal offence under Section 5 of the Public Order Act, even if it's printed on a T-shirt. | Using offensive, abusive, or insulting language is a criminal offence under Section 5 of the Public Order Act, even if it's printed on a T-shirt. |
| It is not necessary for someone to have made an official complaint for the police to act, they just have to think it might offend a hypothetical third party, says criminal solicitor Louise Christian. | It is not necessary for someone to have made an official complaint for the police to act, they just have to think it might offend a hypothetical third party, says criminal solicitor Louise Christian. |
| The legislation has been interpreted in a number of ways in recent years. | The legislation has been interpreted in a number of ways in recent years. |
| One shopkeeper was threatened with arrest for displaying a toddler's T-shirt in his shop window that had the slogan: "Winner of the egg and sperm race." | One shopkeeper was threatened with arrest for displaying a toddler's T-shirt in his shop window that had the slogan: "Winner of the egg and sperm race." |
| Pub sign | Pub sign |
| Police said they had received a complaint and told Tim Price the garment was offensive and would have to be removed from the window of his clothes shop in Brighton. | Police said they had received a complaint and told Tim Price the garment was offensive and would have to be removed from the window of his clothes shop in Brighton. |
| WHO, WHAT, WHY? A regular part of the BBC News Magazine, Who, What, Why? aims to answer some of the questions behind the headlines | WHO, WHAT, WHY? A regular part of the BBC News Magazine, Who, What, Why? aims to answer some of the questions behind the headlines |
| A landlord was also ordered to remove a sign outside his pub in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, which said: "Faggots and mince not on the menu." A complaint was made to police by the previous tenants, a homosexual couple. | A landlord was also ordered to remove a sign outside his pub in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, which said: "Faggots and mince not on the menu." A complaint was made to police by the previous tenants, a homosexual couple. |
| Probably the most high-profile row over "offensive" slogans is the French Connection advertising campaign in Britain which used FCUK. | Probably the most high-profile row over "offensive" slogans is the French Connection advertising campaign in Britain which used FCUK. |
| In 2003, a shop keeper in Bishop's Stortford was asked by police to remove an "offensive" T-shirt from a front window display which depicted a drawing of a naked woman straddling her male lover, with the slogan 'the Joy of fcuk' underneath. | In 2003, a shop keeper in Bishop's Stortford was asked by police to remove an "offensive" T-shirt from a front window display which depicted a drawing of a naked woman straddling her male lover, with the slogan 'the Joy of fcuk' underneath. |
| However, it's not clear whether the image or the wording, or both, were judged to be "offensive". | However, it's not clear whether the image or the wording, or both, were judged to be "offensive". |
| The slogan certainly riled the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which upheld 26 complaints about the logo. However, the slogan was eventually allowed in adverts after being registered as a trademark. | The slogan certainly riled the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which upheld 26 complaints about the logo. However, the slogan was eventually allowed in adverts after being registered as a trademark. |