Christians unite with secularists to defend free speech
IN AN unusual coalition, the Christian Institute is joining forces with the National Secular Society to fight Government plans to clamp down on extremists.
The plans are contained in new Extremism Disruption Orders, but the newly launched Defend Free Speech campaign calls them ‘Draconian’ and a ‘a threat to free speech and ancient rights’.
The fear is that legitimate groups who air unpopular views could be targeted under the planned legislation.
For the campaign group Simon Calvert said: “Those who face the threat of an EDO include people with traditional views, environmental campaigners, the publishers of satirical magazines such as Private Eye, religious groups and anti-religious groups.
“Just look at the way some police officers believe anti-fracking campaigners such as Caroline Lucas MP are extrem- ists and have gone as far as urging teachers to report pupils and parents who go on environmental protests.”
They cite comments made by the Prime Minister and the Chancellor, George Osborne, to highlight their concerns.
The Prime Minister said in a speech unveiling the new plans: “For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens: as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone.”
And the Chancellor wrote in a letter to a constituent that the legislation would go “beyond terrorism” and that it sought to “eliminate extremism in all its forms”.
The reason for the alliance between the Christian Institute and the National Secular Society is that they believe the plans would target pro- and anti-religious groups, as well as trade unionists and environmental campaigners.
Their view was echoed by the Rev Andrew Symes of Anglican Mainstream. He wrote: “A new message is being hinted at to orthodox Christians by the secular state: get with the programme, or we will treat you as extremists.”
Simon Calvert commented: “The proposed legislation opens the door to many ordinary people and campaign groups facing the threat of having an EDO placed on them for simply standing up for what they believe.”
They are also concerned that the law will use the lower civil law test of “the balance of probabilities” rather than the stronger criminal test of “beyond reasonable doubt”.
In recent years traditionalist Christians have faced legal action for speaking out against homosexuality, although the law is intended to target jihadi extremists.