Halloween pardon sought for accused witches, sorta

Campaigners are submitting a petition to the government today in the hope that hundreds of people executed as witches will be posthumously exonerated. The Times earnestly reports that the family behind a well-known costume hire company in the UK decided to try and achieve justice for the dead, in an altruistic and noble move …

[Jimmy Floyd]

Good show, El Reg

I'm glad El Reg spotted the rather blatant piece of publicity-stunting there. Too many news organisations who should know better ... didn't.

The explanation might be that it's a slow news week. Pity the BBC then for being the sacrificial virgin to the media god on the alter of news (as Chris Morris - another witch-huntee - might have said).

[Richard]

Modern day witches

"2,000 people were executed in Scotland and 400 in England after being accused of unholy tampering with crops and cattle"

Yeah they can be exhonorated but will go on the sex offenders register for tampering with cattle

[Anonymous Coward]

Provided that it does not give amnesty to the Met Office

IIRC original medieval witchraft laws cover _BOTH_ witchcraft and WEATHER PREDICTION. The Witchcraft act has abolished penalties for the former, but it has not done anything regarding the latter. Considering the precision of weather prediction we are getting lately, I am not so sure that we should provide a blanket amnesty. The Witchcraft act is good enough. It deals with witches and leaves the other "witchcraft laws" subjects alone. In fact, time to apply them a few time... Cough... Cough...

[Tim]

Justice at last...

And of course their descendants should be compensated by the justice system!

[Adam Foxton]

WTF?!

Shouldn't it be the Vatican who pardons these people rather than the government? I mean the Vatican were the people who started the witch-hunts.

This just smacks of a cheap publicity stunt. If they do get exhonerated there shouldn't be a chance for any compensation.

[Anonymous Coward]

QoTSA

dun dun Burn the witch! dun dun doodle-oo

/I'll get me bass...

[Anonymous Coward]

Incredible

It is incredible that you Brits still persecute people this way. Small wonder your govt watches every move you make.

[Roy Stilling]

Broadcasting House isn;t in West London

That's Television Centre and all the other BBC tentacles. BH is on Portland Place right in the centre of town.

[Anonymous Coward]

I do believe

That this stunt by the costume company qualifies for the Twantdangle tag. Nothing to see here, move along.

[Pierre]

Yes Tim

"And of course their descendants should be compensated by the justice system!"

With interests...

[Anonymous John]

Am I the first to say

Mine's the black one with the pointed hat and broomstick?

[DavCrav]

@Incredible

"It is incredible that you Brits still persecute people this way. Small wonder your govt watches every move you make."

Will...not...feed...troll.

There, that's better.

[Spoonguard]

"And of course their descendants should be compensated by the justice system!"

what part of witch don't you understand, they would eat their own offspring.

[Anonymous Coward]

tampering with crops and cattle

Thank goodness the sheep were safe.

[Zmodem]

its not the church

helloween is celtic new year. or something to do with the celts

[Anonymous Coward]

@tampering with crops and cattle

except in Scotland, where men are men, women are men too, and sheep are nervous.

Mine's the sheepskin one.