But if some nonce assaults these children they walk free.
A nine-year-old child is among the youngsters being probed by police over hate incidents, it is understood.
Officers recorded incidents against the child, who called a fellow primary school pupil a 'retard', and against two schoolgirls who said another student smelled 'like fish'.
The youngsters were among multiple cases of children being recorded as having committed non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs), The Times discovered through freedom of information requests to police forces.
NCHIs are meant to be recorded for incidents 'clearly motivated by intentional hostility' and where there is a genuine risk of significant escalation, government guidance says. Newly collected data shows the recording of NCHIs is widespread - with critics questioning whether the investigation of non-crime hate incidents is an appropriate use of police resources, especially in cases regarding children.
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary and former policing minister, said: 'These examples are obviously totally absurd.
'Pursuing these sorts of incidents is a total waste of police time - they should be concentrating on criminals. It risks having a chilling effect on free speech, one of the fundamental values of this country.'
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The medium is the message, the process is the punishment.
Get with the programme - or else.
@KeepTakingTheSoma It makes me so angry, feel like about to burst.