Freedom of expression is considered a cornerstone of any democratic society and a fundamental right protected in the laws and constitutions of many countries.
The proper functioning of politics, journalism and many other fields rely on the free exchange of opinion and restrictions on that right are generally the exception rather than rule.
The line between freedom of speech and hate speech can therefore be difficult to draw, involving an assessment of the potential harm flowing from words that could incite hatred, discrimination or violence towards a particular group or person.
The issues have been highlighted by controversy over comments made by a street preacher ahead of the Belfast Pride parade at the weekend.
The remarks seeking to link members of the LGBTQIA+ community to serious criminality were made by a man using a public address system at Royal Avenue in the city centre.
They appeared to prompt an angry response from some bystanders as well as on social media when video footage was widely circulated.
Police were present at the scene and have evidence from body-worn video which was being reviewed by detectives.
They confirmed there were treating comments made as a hate crime and were reviewing the actions and behaviours of a number of individuals as part of the investigation.
Organisers of Belfast Pride have said they fully support the right to protest, given that Pride itself was born out of a protest movement and continues to perform that function. However, they have described the language used on Saturday as unacceptable and are due to discuss the incident with senior police this week.
From the information in the public domain it does appear that comments made are deserving of police assessment and it is a matter for detectives now to determine if any offences may have been committed.
The incident has distracted attention from what was otherwise another very successful Pride parade, with more than 250 groups taking part in the city's largest such event to date.
The parade has certainly come a long way since first being staged by just a few dozen activists in 1991. Thousands took to the streets on Saturday, both to celebrate the lives of LGBTQIA+ people and draw attention to continued inequalities.
Offensive comments or actions that stray beyond the bounds of respectful debate are to be condemned and it is hoped that the message will be understood that cherished rights to free speech do not come without responsibilities.
