A Christian street preacher was arrested and locked in a cell for telling a passer-by that homosexuality is a sin in the eyes of God. Dale McAlpine was charged with causing “harassment, alarm or distress” after a homosexual police community support officer (PCSO) overheard him reciting a number of “sins” referred to in the Bible, including blasphemy, drunkenness and same sex relationships.
The 42-year-old Baptist, who has preached Christianity in Wokington, Cumbria for years, said he did not mention homosexuality while delivering a sermon from the top of a stepladder, but admitted telling a passing shopper that he believed it went against the word of God. Police officers are alleging that he made the remark in a voice loud enough to be overheard by others and have charged him with using abusive or insulting language, contrary to the Public Order Act.
Mr McAlpine, who was taken to the police station in the back of a marked van and locked in a cell for seven hours on April 20, said the incident was among the worst experiences of his life. “I felt deeply shocked and humiliated that I had been arrested in my own town and treated like a common criminal in front of people I know," he said.
“My freedom was taken away on the hearsay of someone who disliked what I said, and I was charged under a law that doesn't apply.” Christian campaigners have expressed alarm that the Public Order Act, introduced in 1986 to tackle violent rioters and football hooligans, is being used to curb religious free speech. Mr McAlpine pleaded not guilty at a preliminary hearing on Friday at Wokingham magistrates court and is now awaiting a trial date.
8 comments:
Now if the same is done with folks from other religions of political denominations, I'm all for it.
This is outrageous. There is no religious free speech, just free speech. This man has every right to tell people what he thinks is sin and what kind of people are bad people, just as the passers by have the right to tell him what they think of people preaching at street corners and how much his silly beliefs matter to them. This is just so wrong.
By the way, if you remember that incident where a man left pictures mocking religions at an airport chapel, surely those who thought it was right to punish that man for offending think it is also just to punish this man? You aren't hypocrites, right?
I find it ironic and sad that people will be willing to speak up for 'freedom of speech' and yet don't want to give it to others that don't share there same views. Also aren't you being intolerant aswell? (food for thought )
Concerning the airport:
If that man had handed out that material on the street corner as the preacher had done, that would be perfectly fine but going into someones place of worship and handing out material, which if you remember was designed to be offensive and make a mockery of what people hold dear, you your self said '<span>I agree what he did was rude and unproductive'</span>
Sure you can knock on a mans door and ask to share your views but you cannot force your self in and shout 'SINNER' can you
I'm all for equality.
So if this man is arrested, all other dirtthrowers should be arrested too.
If others can get away with saying things like " that all religions people in the world are a bunch of evil sick minded individuals", this man with his homophobic ideas should be left alone too.
Another atheist for free speech here. As long as he wasn't targeting/harassing specific people in the crowd (as in, "Hey you two, your relationship is an abomination to God!"), I think he should have been allowed to say his piece, even if that includes the (to me) offensive notion that homosexual relationships are sinful.
This street preacher was also rude and unproductive. While these two cases are not identical, the principle is the same. Leaving (offensive) leaflets at the airport chapel should not be a crime, as saying rude and offensive things in the street should not be.
But when does "free speech" become abuse? I imagine there are quite a few street preachers out there who are far louder and ruder. If you're yelling in someone's face that they're a sinner destined for hell (because of a biological quirk they have no control over), is that free speech? Or has that crossed the line into abuse?
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