This post was inspired by today's 5-minute writing prompt in the Freewriters Community - An Afternoon of Judgement
Enjoy !
Image created by AI in NightCafe Studio
The clerk banged his rod on the floor.
"The People's Revolutionary Court is in session. Presiding Judge the Right Honourable Melville Harker."
Judge Harker took his seat; an elderly vulture of a man, the red robes contrasting with his balding head and round-rimmed glasses.
"Well," he said to the clerk. "Let's rattle through these cases. I've got a round of golf booked with the Chairman of The Bank of England this afternoon."
"First case !" the clerk announced as a tubby, miserable looking middle aged man was bought in.
"Charged with making a Facebook post critical of government policy."
"Anything to say for yourself, you miserable worm ?" the judge asked sternly.
"F...free speech !" the man stammered.
"No such thing. It's only free speech when it agrees with government policy. Otherwise it's malicious misinformation. Two years imprisonment. Next !"
A girl was dragged in, together with a woman who was obviously her mother, both sobbing uncontrollably.
"Charged with verbal abuse of a police person."
"All I said was that she looked like my nana..." the girl began. Her mother tried to contribute. "Please your honour, have mercy. My daughter is severely autistic, she doesn't know what she's saying."
The judge looked on with a bored expression, no sympathy in his eyes. "Hate speech is hate speech, and worse when it's a policeperson. Three years probation for the both of you. Next."
Another man, younger this time.
"Charged with verbally abusing a police dog at a violent riot."
The man looked defiant and indignant. "I shouted out when the dog tried to bite me. It was a peaceful protest, the only violence came from the police."
"Nevertheless," Judge Harker said severely, "There was violence at the protest, it doesn't matter who started it. Five years in prison for you, you terrorist. Next !"
A teenaged boy was dragged in, looking pale and terrified.
"Charged with walking on the cracks in the pavement." the clerk announced.
Judge Harker looked shocked. He pulled a black cap from beneath the desk and placed it on his head.
"Such subversive behaviour is unforgivable. There is only one possible sentence. That you should be taken from this court and hanged by the neck until you are dead. Right, I'm off to play golf."
Authors note. For those who think this is satire... only one of the cases above is. The rest are based on actual charges that have been heard by British courts over the last few of months.