To think this shouldn't be allowed?

[SneakyGremlins]

Bloke in town with a microphone, yelling about how Jesus is the only way to heaven. Gays are sinners, other religions are sinners, we must repent blah blah blah.

Bad enough, but then he starts making eye contact with the only hijab wearing woman around and loudly proclaims that Only Christians Can Go To Heaven And All Other Religions Lead To Eternal Damnation - presumably as she's an easy target.

AIBU to think that's not right and that he shouldn't be allowed to wander around town yelling shit like that?

But speech is a form of expression - so surely freedom of speech is part of that?

"Article 10 protects your right to communicate and express yourself in any medium, including in words, pictures and actions."

"Freedom of expression applies to everyone, and means that people are generally free to talk about or write about or otherwise express their ideas and opinions without any censorship or interference from the state, subject only to the narrow exceptions set out below"
www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/20150318_foe_legal_framework_guidance_revised_final.pdf

An awful lot of "rights" are qualified in law. For example we all have a right to freedom. Yet we still lock prisoners up.

We all have a right to privacy. Except the security services can intercept our communications.

etc etc.

We all have a right to say what we think. But that isn't to say we can libel people, or whip up hatred against others.

cis

😂 come on anyone what’s the deal with jehovas and goatplay

Ffs!! Forplay not goatplay!!! That’s another thread altogether

I like the idea of grannies' recipes street evangelists. You could print out little booklets to give away

But only if they don't involve protein, according to the late Stanley Green ... is anyone else old enough to remember him?

museumcrush.org/less-protein-less-lust-the-protein-mans-placard/

From that link:

Article 10 is not an absolute but a qualified right which means that the rights of the individual must be balanced against the interests of society

Seems to list similar restrictions to what I posted before.

There might be an issue that this preacher is targeting particular minority groups - or it might be fine either way I suspect most police would do is keep an eye out.

We have loads of god botherers in our city centre but I’ve never heard any slamming other religions or gays etc. That is surely hate crime rather than free speech? I’d try report . Targeting members of the public who are going about their business isn’t on either if the purpose is to criticise their culture/beliefs etc

I know far more atheists than theists, and most of them are not quiet about it.
I've not yet come across an atheist 'preaching' atheism via microphone/ megaphone etc in a public place, but people preaching religion in that way is a very common occurrence.

There was a lot of huffing and offence taken 10 or so years ago when the "there's probably no god, stop worrying and enjoy your life" bus adverts were up.

Yanbu

I'd have to bellow out. " If you're an example of the type of people allowed into your God's heaven, then I'd not want to live there. You're feckin' well come to it all mate ".

I’ve never heard any slamming other religions or gays etc. That is surely hate crime rather than free speech?

I imagine a lot depends on what they're saying and where they're saying it. There's a local group who pitch their stall outside the town centre CofE place, plaster banners over its wall and hand out what some may consider pretty offensive leaflets

Given the time they've been doing this it doesn't seem anyone's tried to discourage them, but I sometimes wonder what would happen if someone else tried the same thing outside their own place of worship

My brother likes to unplug them as he goes past. I haven't got the guts.

I've seen someone do this and they got made to stop by police when they started picking on individuals and harassing them. A person's right to free speech does not trump someone else's rights to carry on their daily business without being harassed

My brother likes to unplug them as he goes past

Criminal damage. Nice.

Speaking of limits on free speech, it's only recently that a ban on harassing people entering abortion clinics was thought a good idea ...

it can just be plugged back in. How is that criminal damage?

I'd rather live in a country where people are allowed to proselytise, however annoying and obnoxious, than one where they're not. The latter group tend to be much worse to live in than the former.

Criminal damage from unplugging a wire. Yeah, okay then

I've been shouted out by Muslim preachers too. Its not just confined to Christian zealots

Me, too. Meh. Religious nutters are all the same.

id report this. No one should be allowed to harass anyone that isnt freedom of speech! If he was actually shouting at a particular woman as she walked past then I would report it to the police.

it can just be plugged back in. How is that criminal damage?

Because it's intentional, and prevented something from working.

The "damage" doesn't have to be permanent. Covering a speed camera is also criminal damage, even if it's with a paper bag.

If I was lawfully exercising my right to free expression, I'd be a bit pissed if someone broke the law to interfere with it.

There is no US 'freedom of speech' law in the UK. Basically we have a negative right to free speech, which is slightly different.

www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/criminal-damage

Walked past one of those a couple of weeks ago and he was shouting "if you are sleeping with someone you're not married to them you are a FORNICATOR!". There was an audible laugh from everyone around and we just kept on going

Speaking as a Christian - I agree with the nutter assesment. I often feel painfully embarrassed when I hear people like that. Jesus wasn't like that, he tended to hang out with many of the kinds of people they tend to condemn.
Plus, he didn't have a thing to say about homosexuality. That gives me the impression he didn't think it was something worth getting angry about.