London: Avon and Somerset police in the United Kingdom have applied to the High Court for an injunction against a Christian preacher, arguing his behavior could cause “significant risk or harm to others.”
Mike Overd, dubbed Britain’s ‘most arrested’ street preacher, is accused of repeatedly “engaging in anti-social behavior.” Police are applying for the injunction under the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014, which, if approved, will curb some of the 55-year-old preacher’s ability to speak freely.
Overd is known for Bible-based preaching on issues of homosexuality, religion and abortion.
The order claims that Overd “engages or threatens to engage” in anti-social behavior and that his preaching “threatens violence” and could cause “significant risk or harm” to others.
The injunction includes six orders – including a ban on Overd preaching in a single town or parish for more than 20 minutes a day and going within 80 yards of an abortion clinic.
If approved by the High Court, he would also be prohibited from using an amplifier when preaching, using a box to preach from an elevated position, using placards with signs showing slogans such as “abortion is murder” or “repent” and “breaching the peace” through words or actions in a public place.
If the injunction gets the go ahead, Overd would face arrest, imprisonment and contempt of court if he broke any of the orders.
Tim Dieppe, Head of Public Policy at Christian Concern told Premier: “It seems that this is an increasing intolerance towards Christian preaching and it’s extraordinary that police argue that his preaching could cause a ‘significant risk or harm to others’. Well, all he is doing is exercising his right to free speech.”
Overd is being supported by The Christian Legal Centre who’ve said his messages can be hard-hitting.
“Sometimes the truth is offensive but sometimes we need to say things anyway and if people are offended maybe it will get them to think again. We are not intending to offend people but the Gospel does offend people sometimes,” Tim Dieppe told Premier.
He added that he was concerned that police were using a different act than they would normally use:
“… the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act is a new way they are trying to use, to sort of restrict his freedoms here and we are quite concerned about where that could go and the precedent.”
The hearing started on October 5 and is expected to last a number of days.
Overd regularly appears in town centers delivering ‘fire and brimstone’ sermons using a microphone and brandishing printed signs saying ‘Repent.’
He has been accused of preaching hate speech, Islamophobia and homophobia and telling a gay man he was going to hell for being a sinner.
More than 3,000 locals once signed a petition to get the preacher banned from town centers in Bridgwater and Taunton but Overd remains defiant.
Overd, who denies any wrongdoing, has been arrested and hauled before the courts on a number of occasions.
He has been summoned to court four times accused of public order offences.
He was found not guilty the first time, while two guilty findings were overturned at appeal and the fourth case was dropped.
Overd claims police are discriminating against him on the grounds of his beliefs. “Freedom of speech is supposed to be one of the most important freedoms we have,” he asserted.
He also regrets that he is “the most arrested Christian preacher in the land. I’m not proud of it, but I should never be in this position – the authorities have no shame and they’re misusing the law.”
Source: premierchristian.news and dailymail.co.uk