The United Kingdom has a free speech problem. Government authorities are threatening to jail people over 'hateful' retweets and lock up anyone who merely looks at a riot or protest.

But it's not new. This video -- dating back to 2012, based on a pending Community Note -- was dealing with Section 5 of the Public Order Act, which made insults a crime. Rowan Atkinson, better known as Mr. Bean or for the 'Blackadder' series, was one of the people who wanted to reform Section 5.

Watch his statement in defense of free speech:

🚨MUST WATCH: MR. BEAN'S DEFINITIVE DEFENSE OF FREE SPEECH (FULL VIDEO)

Rowan Atkinson:

"The clear problem with the outlawing of insult - is that too many things can be interpreted as such."

Source: @avavidan pic.twitter.com/2lLX1UYRIO

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) August 10, 2024

It's worth repeating, because nothing has changed between 2012 and now.

Except the UK government has gotten more Orwellian.

Happy to see authoritative people speaking out on behalf of free speech rights for all people.

Hoping to see more notable people doing the same.

Thanks to Elon/X for providing us this free speech platform 😊

— Maxi Bell (@MaxiBellHIP) August 10, 2024

It needs to be defended, ceaselessly.

Very important that he said this all, especially in the context of what's going on in the UK as of late ...

— Brian Basson (@BassonBrain) August 10, 2024

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Right? That's why this is making the rounds again.

Rowan Atkinson, you are a treasure. Cheers to you, good sir.

— Ryan Scanlan 👥 (@Xenius101) August 11, 2024

He is a treasure.

Mr. Bean should be the Prime Minister of England. He actually understands the job much better than #TwoTierKeir

— Ross Williams (@Alt_Perspektiv) August 10, 2024

He sure does.

Mr. Bean has a point.
UK GOV failed to learn the lessons of COVID lock downs and seeks to repeat the suppression of debate.
Censorship, arrests, show trials, and imprisonment are not a democratic response to failed policy.
More speech is needed in the public square, not less.

— Lusi 🏴‍☠️ (@S1CT) August 11, 2024

He does have a point.

If you haven’t been a lifelong fan of Rowan Atkinson, perhaps this may change your mind: https://t.co/h6iMvDoiZ5

— One of several Jeff Goldmans (@TheJeffGoldman) August 11, 2024

We've always been fans, it just makes us like him more.

This is lovely.

Also makes the all-too-true point that if you outlaw “mean” speech it eventually becomes about how it’s taken vs. how it’s meant, which puts the “victim” in charge of whether there’s a crime or not. https://t.co/GXKHxVkt5W

— MoodyRedhead (@moodyredhead) August 11, 2024

And in the 12 years since this speech was given and now, that's precisely what happened.

Who would have thought one day Mr Bean would need to step in to be our voice of reason? https://t.co/cHwCixgq91

— Zombie.hug (@zombieXRD) August 11, 2024

What a wild timeline.

Black Adder, Black Adder, he's saving the UK! https://t.co/DPvttyAilS

— MoronPUNdit - Aspiring Supervillain (@MoronPundit) August 11, 2024

'Blackadder' is a fun show, if you haven't seen it.

Based Mr Bean https://t.co/s78bMptLaM

— Jacktron (@jacktronprime) August 11, 2024

Totally based.

Mr. Bean whom I have always loved for his cheeky comedy, blows it out of the park with this one!👇🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🔥🙌🏻❤️ https://t.co/msJ8oJtxoj

— PammsyNow (@NowPammsy) August 11, 2024

An absolute homerun.