A judge has condemned Blackpool Council’s decision to remove bus adverts publicising a Franklin Graham evangelistic event as ‘the antithesis’ of ‘how a public authority should behave in a democracy’.
Ahead of the event at the town’s winter gardens in September 2018, organisers paid for the banner adverts which carried the message ‘Time for Hope!’
Following complaints from members of the public, the council removed the adverts because of Graham’s beliefs on marriage and sexuality – even though no overtly religious wording nor imagery were used.
The festival organiser brought proceedings against the council and the judge found that the claimants had an overwhelming case. The council had breached the Equality Act and discriminated against the claimant because of Graham’s religious beliefs.
Her Honour Judge Claire Evans noted that Graham was a controversial figure because of his views on Islam, homosexuality and same-sex marriage, but that such beliefs are held by many religions. They might be offensive to some, but were not ‘extremist’.
Despite the council’s claim of neutrality, she ruled that the defendants gave preference to the rights and opinions of one part of the community without any regard to the claimant’s rights (and those who also shared its religious beliefs). This was demonstrated by the council’s decision to light up Blackpool tower in rainbow colours during the festival ‘in solidarity and support’ for the LGBT community.
The judge stated that removing the advertisements is ‘the antithesis of the manner in which a public authority should behave in a democratic society’.
James Barrett, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association UK, said: ‘This ruling confirms that all Christians in the UK have the right to share their beliefs in the public square without being discriminated against or interfered with by public officials and other groups that want to silence them.
