Christian group wins legal battle over preaching ban in west London
Briefly

A church in west London overturned a council ban that prohibited its public preaching in Uxbridge town centre. The Kingsborough Centre contested a Public Spaces Protection Order that restricted religious activities, including amplifiers and literature distribution. Church leaders, shocked by their potential fines, described the restrictions as oppressive. They argued that such measures criminalized their faith-based outreach efforts. The Christian Legal Centre supported their case, highlighting confrontations with police. Following a consultation, the council revised the order, allowing religious activities while affirming the church's ability to share their beliefs freely.
Pastor Tunde Balogun emphasized that street evangelism is central to their faith, stating, "As Christians who are committed to our faith, carrying out street evangelism is essential to manifesting our Christian beliefs." He expressed that these restrictions threaten their ability to support and love the community while criminalizing them for their actions.
In the wake of the PSPO, police confronted worshippers engaged in preaching and distributing leaflets. Officers warned them that their activities were breaches of the PSPO, enforcing measures that essentially silenced their expression of faith.
Read at www.standard.co.uk
[
|
]