A Labour run council has attempted to put in place a blanket ban on Christian related activity in their town centre.
Rushmore Borough Council made a rapid U-turn over their illegal decision to seek an injunction that bans praying in Farnborough and Aldershot which would also ban traditional Christmas events.
Th Labour run council made an application as they alleged that Christian preachers were “offensive” that “caused alarm and distress,” but after being accused of “criminalising Christianity” Rushmore Borough Council made withdrew the application for an injunction.
Jamie Broadley told GB News that the move was “beyond reasonable.”
Broadey told the media outlet, “A wide group of people do different kinds of Christian evangelism and outreach in the town, ranging from loud preaching to giving people teas and coffees during the night time, and some complaints were made to the council about some of the more extreme preachers.
“So I believe that the council did need to do something – however, what they did is using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut. They went way, way, way beyond what is reasonable.”
Solicitor Martin Phillips said the move by Rushmore Borough Council was “completely illegally illiterate.”
Phillips told GB News, “We really hope that this is going to be the turning point.
“This was absolutely unprecedented in terms of its breadth, its depth, and it would literally have banned all forms of Christian evangelism and which not just preaching and not just speaking, but even singing would have been prohibited.
“So going out on a Christmas evening and giving out mince pies and singing carols would have been illegal under this injunction. It was completely legally illiterate, and it just had no respect for the freedom of speech, that has been enshrined in this country for so many years.”
Broadey said, “The council, they will say that they were trying to target the most extreme people. However, what they have written, they took two years to write it. They didn’t consult with local faith leaders who they know.
“They’ve got all of the main faith leaders in their phonebook. They didn’t consult and it’s just resulted in a mad, a mad proposal. When I first read the proposal, it took me about four or five days before I actually believed what I read.”
In a statement, Rushmoor Borough Council sai, “Meetings between local faith leaders and Rushmoor Borough Council have led to a joint commitment to ensure faith groups can meet, worship and preach freely in Farnborough and Aldershot town centres, and to tackle issues with anti-social behaviour by a small number of individuals.”
