united-states discrimination
Legal repercussions for an act of discrimination
<p>What are possible legal repercussions for someone who stands up in a restaurant and says something like &quot;this n-r must leave the place where white people eat&quot;? What laws apply here?</p>

<p>The only applicable law is the local trespassing law. If he wants, the proprietor can demand that the patron leave, and if the patron does not leave, he can be arrested for trespassing. It uncontroversial that the First Amendment protects racist declarations.</p>

<p><a href="/questions/tagged/england-and-wales" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;england-and-wales&#39;" rel="tag">england-and-wales</a></p>
<p>In England, this action* would be a breach of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criminal_Justice_and_Public_Order_Act_1994" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Criminal Justice and Public Order Act (1994)</a>, specifically that...</p>
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<p>A person is guilty of an offence if, <strong>with intent to cause a person harassment</strong>, alarm or distress, he ... uses threatening, <strong>abusive or insulting words</strong> or behaviour ... thereby <strong>causing that or another person harassment</strong>, alarm or distress.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>As to punishment, this would be determined by a judge based on a number of factors, but not to exceed</p>
<blockquote>
<p>imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale [e.g. unlimited] or to both.</p>
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<p><sub><sup>*Noting that this is not 'discrimination', but rather 'abusive behaviour'</sub></sup></p>
