What exactly does it say about this country when a news article about a judge doing exactly the right thing is something of a surprise?

After years of reading about people being prosecuted for nothing more than saying what they think, the following from the BBC is a breath of fresh air (emphasis mine) :

A man who waved a St George’s flag outside an unbuilt mosque and shouted “EDL” and “England” has had the case against him thrown out.

Ronald Peterson said he was protesting about planning issues over the construction of the mosque in Oxford Road, Reading, on 30 May 2010.

District judge Andrew Vickers dismissed two public order charges. He said Mr Peterson had a right to free speech.

Mr Peterson, 37, from Tilehurst, said he was “over the moon”.

The judge said the words were not threatening, abusive or insulting.

…

Police were called to the scene by two Muslim men, the court heard.

They told officers they were concerned by the protest as prayers were about to start at a nearby mosque and they believed an English Defence League (EDL) demonstration was about to take place.

Mr Peterson, of Elvaston Way, was charged with two public offences, including a “religiously aggravated” offence.

In a statement, Nina Maisuria from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “When we looked at the evidence provided by the police, we were satisfied there was sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction.”

I have to say I am amazed which, in itself, is a rather sad indictment of modern UK life.

I expect the judge to be described as “controversial” in some of the press after this and would not be surprised at all if he gets retired soon for upsetting the multi-cultural applecart.