united-kingdom
is it an offence to remove someone else&#39;s hat?
<p>Is it an offence to remove or knock off someone's hat without consent? </p>

<p>An example would be 
A civilian removing a policeman's hat without using any force.</p>

<p>A civilian removing another's baseball cap without any force. </p>

<p><strong>Maybe.</strong></p>

<p>Not a UK source but from the <a href="http://www.judcom.nsw.gov.au/publications/benchbks/criminal/assault.html" rel="nofollow">Judicial Commission of NSW</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>An assault is any act — and not a mere omission to act — by which a person intentionally — or recklessly — causes another to apprehend immediate and unlawful violence: R v Burstow; R v Ireland [1998] 1 AC 147. <strong>Thus it is the fear which is the gist of assault.</strong> </p>
</blockquote>

<p>If in removing the hat you engender fear of immediate and unlawful violence then you have assaulted the hat wearer. If the act does not create that fear, you haven't. </p>
