Three cheers for Polanski's arrest

I am honestly nothing short of horrified how many people have leapt onto the bandwagon to free Roman Polanski. Basically these people are saying (even if probably unintentionally) that because Roman Polanski made good movies and a long time has passed, he should be forgiven for his crimes and escape any kind of sanction for them.

Let us remember exactly what Mr Polanski did. According to Samantha Geimer's Grand Jury testimony he took her to a house, gave her wine and drugs, told her to strip naked, and rapes her, performing oral, vaginal and anal sex on her. Samantha was 13 at the time.

This is not a minor offence. This is not something that can or should be brushed under the rug because the person who committed the offences happens to be rich and powerful, or has rich and powerful friends. The very point of the law is to treat everyone the same, and provide everyone the same level of protection - whether rich or poor, powerful or weak. If Roman Polanski is able to escape the punishment for a crime that he admitted to the justice system will be undermined and the police will naturally find it more difficult to encourage the victims of crime committed by the rich and powerful to come forward.