Church calls in‘equality police’over cinema ban on Lord’s Prayer advert
BRITAIN’ S biggest cinema chains are facing an investigation by the Government’s discrimination watchdog for banning the Church of England’s Lord’s Prayer film.
The Church has complained to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), warning that the decision by Odeon, Cineworld and Vue to refuse to show the oneminute film in the run-up to Christmas was discriminatory and an assault on religious freedom.
It could see the Commission launching legal action against the cinema giants in what would be a major test case of the Equality Act, which prevents commercial organisations from treating religious groups differently.
In a further escalation of the row, the Church also said it would use its shareholding in Cineworld to ratchet up pressure on the chain.
The Mail on Sunday revealed last week how the advert – in which the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and others recite the Lord’s Prayer – had been due to be shown before this year’s biggest film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. However, after initially agreeing to the advert being shown, Digital Cinema Media – which handles most of the UK’s cinema advertising and is owned by Odeon and Cineworld – changed its tune, saying it had a policy not to show political or religious commercials that might offend audiences. The decision provoked criticism led by Archbishop Welby, who said he found it ‘extraordinary’ that it was deemed inappropriate to show an advert on prayer just before Christmas ‘when we celebrate the birth of Jesus’. David Cameron also branded the move ‘ridiculous’ and Communities Minister Baroness Williams said the Government had ‘made clear that it did not agree with the decision’.
The EHRC, which was set up to police equalities legislation that protects minorities, said it was alarmed by DCM’s policy. A Church statement said it was taking its case to the EHRC because it had ‘a duty to protect the free practise of all faiths in this country’.
It added: ‘We believe DCM’s decision raises issues of freedom of religion that extend far beyond the circumstances of this proposed advertisement. We resist the idea that the refusal of services on the basis of religious belief is in any way acceptable.’ The Church added it would also be seeking meetings with DCM, and that its financial arm would be writing to Cineworld.
DCM said: ‘We believe a clear neutral stance remains the fairest policy for all.’