According to The Independent - UK News, Michael Phillips, representing the church, described the notice as the first attempt by a local authority to control the speech of a group.
According to The Independent - UK News, Laura Austin, representing the council, described the CPN as not an attempt to censure a religious group but to prevent specific harmful behaviour. She said a vulnerable man with his carer found the amplification too loud and was told he was going to hell. There have also been allegations of homophobic comments and chants to members of the public. The exact details of the preaching that sparked complaints remain unclear.
The CPN 'imposed a number of requirements' including 'to stop using amplification or loudspeaker' and to 'stop intimidating behaviour'.
Multiple reports note that breaching the CPN constitutes a criminal offence. According to The Independent - UK News, the council said attempts to engage with the group have not been successful. Multiple reports indicate a two-day appeal hearing is scheduled for October 22 at Southend Magistrates’ Court and October 29 at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court. Multiple reports indicate a case management hearing is due on August 21 at Colchester Magistrates’ Court.
This was preaching which took place in public as it has done for millennia.
You may not like what’s been said but there’s free speech in this country.
It seems, unfortunately, that the council took a view on this matter without engaging with the local interested parties. There was simply the imposition of this notice which, if you breach the notice, it’s a criminal offence.
This wasn’t an attempt by a state body to censure a local religious group. There’s no bar on this group or any group preaching in a manner which expresses lawful religious grievance.
A 'vulnerable man' who was being assisted by his carer had 'found the noise of the amplification too loud'. The man 'put his hands over his ears and was told as he had put his hands over his ears he was going to hell'.
It’s important to point out there have been attempts to engage with this group but they have not been successful.