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Preacher who abuses gays and Muslims complains of ‘harassment’

Preacher who abuses gays and Muslims complains of ‘harassment’

Last updated on: December 11, 2020 at 5:15 pm by Barry Duke

Preacher who abuses gays and Muslims complains of ‘harassment’ 2020-12-11T17:15:30+02:00 Barry Duke

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A UK street preacher who has been prosecuted several times, fined and ordered to pay damages for targeting members of the LGBT and Muslim communities says he intends to to bring a harassment lawsuit against the Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset police in December.

Image via YouTube/Christian Concern

Michael Overd, above, who was most recently hit with a COVID-19 enforcement notice, issued the threat this week after a High Court judge rejected an attempt by police to limit a his street preaching.

Avon and Somerset Police had been seeking an injunction against the hateful imbecile that would have prevented him from preaching in a single town or parish for more than 20 minutes a day.

The injunction also sought to stop Overd from using a loudspeaker, standing on a soap box, using visual aids, placards and signs showing the reality of abortion, going withing 80 yards of a Taunton abortion clinic, and “breaching the peace”.

The police were seeking the injunction under the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014.

The Christian Legal Centre (CLC), which represented Overd, called the police application “heavy-handed” and voiced concerns that anti-social behaviour regulations are being increasingly used by police to suppress legitimate freedom of speech.

In the end, Judge Cotter QC agreed only to prohibit Mr Overd from using amplification when preaching, and calling abortionists ‘murderers’. The prohibition will remain in place

Responding to the ruling, Overd said:

It is sad that the injunction was brought against me in the first place, but I am pleased that the police having considered the evidence that we put forward and arguments raised by my lawyers, recognised that so many of the restrictions that they had initially asked for, were completely unnecessary.

Since 2011 he been prosecuted five times and arrested four times by Avon and Somerset police. He also been interviewed on a voluntary basis on three separate occasions and issued with four Section 35 dispersal orders. None of these has ever led to any conviction.

Overd says he is now planning to bring a harrassment claim against the Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset police in December.

I have faced nearly constant harassment by the authorities for preaching for nearly 10 years. Everything has been tried by the police to make it very difficult, if not impossible, for me to preach.

This is the second time the police have brought an application for an injunction against me, and they are running out of options. I never called anyone a murderer, so I was happy to agree not to do this. I am happy not to use an amp, because I have a pretty loud voice and I appreciate that not everyone wants to hear the message.

It is very concerning that the police see Christian preachers as a problem, even an enemy, when I and other preachers like me are just saying what the Bible says

CLC Chief Executive Andrea Williams, above, said that the threat to the liberties of street preachers may soon affect church pastors.

What we have found at the Christian Legal Centre is that police around the country often believe that if someone is offended by a message that they don’t agree with, a crime must have been committed.

This simply is not the case and has led to many false arrests and prosecutions. It has to be accepted that Mike’s messages can be hard-hitting, but it is not the place of the state to police his message.

Is this demented creature not aware of the fact that, when Overd was convicted in 2015, judge Shamim Qureshi said:

Overd Does not display any scholarly approach to the topics but merely preaches whatever little he had learnt, regardless of being rude or bullying to others. He happily shouts out the negative points of any other religion.

Overd was fined £200 and ordered to pay compensation and costs totalling £1,200 at Bristol Crown Court. He was cleared of a second similar charge and another of causing “racially-aggravated” harassment aimed at Muslims.

Judge Qureshi told Overd he:

Knew full well the power of words to hurt.

After being told he would have to pay £250 to one person he targeted, Overd initially refused but was threatened with a 45-day prison sentence if he did not.

He agreed to pay, but said the judgement was “flawed” and told the judge he would have to “answer to the same God”.

William added:

We welcome today’s ruling, but Mike’s case shows that unless we stand up for the preachers, there is a real risk that eventually they will come for the ‘moderate’ Christians; the pastors who preach and the everyday Christians who talk to their friends about controversial subjects.

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Andrea Minichiello Williams

Christian Concern

Christian Legal Centre

Hate preachers

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