when freedom of speech is treated like murder by James D Quinton

turning the corner

I hadn’t expected to see

an agitated young man holding

a frightened old woman to his body

“get back, get back,”

he told the crowd that had gathered

I could see a few ‘have-a-go-heroes’

sizing the situation up

eager

to make their name in the local paper

“get back, get back”

I crept closer

I could see in his

bloodshot eyes that he meant it

he had a Noika pressed into

her skull

his finger on the send key

he’d obviously composed a

deadly message

a diatribe against the government

a rant about capitalism

a paean to socialism

“get back, get back.”

suddenly, a man, well-built, late forties

with a shaven head rushed forward

(he must have pictured himself in print)

he managed to wrestle

the old woman free

the assailant, backing away,

put his mobile phone

in his mouth

some of the crowd shouted “No”

but it was too late

he pressed send.