Lecturer reported to police over 'hate crime' after quoting Trainspotting in an Instagram post
A university lecturer was reported to police over alleged hate crime after writing an Instagram post quoting cult film Trainspotting, saying the ‘English are w*ankers’.
James Mooney, a film and philosophy lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, quoted a scene from the film during a talk to American students.
He wrote on the Instagram post: “Spent this morning telling a group of visiting American students that we don’t really hate the English, but that they are w*s. Welcome to Scotland.”
Police have confirmed officers were called in to investigate the post after a complaint was made but concluded that no crime had been committed.
The post, dated January 8, relates to a scene in Trainspotting in which Ewan McGregor’s character refers to Scotland being “colonised by the English”.
A university source said: “It was clearly meant in jest and no offence was intended or could reasonably have been taken. It is all totally ridiculous, a storm in a teacup if ever there was one.”
The post has reportedly been reviewed by senior staff and deemed not to breach the university’s social media policy.
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A Police Scotland spokesman confirmed that officers received a report of “xenophobic comments made online” in relation to Mr Mooney’s Instagram post.
The spokesman said: “A full investigation was conducted and it was established that no crime had been committed. However, the matter was recorded as a hate incident. No further police action was required.”
