Trying to persuade others to your own view of religion is no new phenomenon. But it's often done in the public spaces which we all share. Sometimes this creates problems, as Angus Cameron, a Christian street preacher, found out. While he was proclaiming his truth, specifically as set out in the first chapter of the biblical book of Romans, an anonymous complaint was made by a passerby to the police that something he had said was offensive, and he was arrested and made the subject of a so-called non-criminal hate incident. He was later to be released without charge and had the record of the incident deleted. 

How freely does the law in this country allow us to express ourselves in public spaces? Is the law favouring the expression of fashionable ideas over those which are not? And is it more difficult to express criticism of religion than to manifest religion? 

On this episode of Cross Examination, Tom is joined by:

Bryn Harris, Chief Legal Counsel at the Free Speech Union, the largest free speech organization in the UK. Bryn coordinates the FSU’s legal work in a wide range of fields including crime, employment, defamation and public law.

Stephen Evans, Chief Executive of the National Secular Society, a nonprofit campaigning organisation that advocates for secularism, including the separation of religion and state, freedom of religion or belief for all and an inclusive and fair society.

Cross Examination is written and presented by Tom Cross KC. Produced by Basil Oxtoby and Alex Rees 

https://www.crossexamination.co.uk/