A Swedish law foreseeing prison sentences for criticising the homosexualist agenda in public was upheld by the European Court of Human Rights which has ruled that there it was not in violation of freedom of expression. Four people were fined for a distributing leaflets.
Bishop Philip Boyce of the Raphoe diocese in northwestern Ireland was investigated by the police for “hate crime” after arguing that the Catholic Church in Ireland is under attack from “aggressive secularism”.
The students’ union of University College in London has passed a motion to officially make the campus “pro-choice” and to impose a “restriction of freedom of speech”.
Peaceful pro-life protesters against abortions at Barcelona Catholic hospital were attacked by pro-abortion counter-demonstrators, some of whom reportedly threw rocks and trash and shouted obscene insults.
German writer Gabriele Kuby spoke at the student organisation KDSTV Saarland in Jena on December 6th on the issue of Gender Mainstreaming. Due to her critical take on current developments in this regard, the association “Diversity Life” (“Vielfalt Leben”) convened about 30-40 demonstrators who gathered in the stairway of the building, yelling, knocking at the doors, throwing eggs. The police had to clear the building. “Diversity life” had been supported by the working group “Queer Paradies” as well as by the “coordinating body of the city programme of Jena and contact office of the round table for democracy” (“KoKont”).
The French Christian pro life group "SOS Tout-petits" registered a manifestation against abortion to take place on Nov 19th in front of the Paris Hospital Tenon. Even though the request for the permit came in due time, the prefecture withdrew the permission last minute. Reasons given were that the manifestation could be a disturbance of the public order and safety could not be guaranteed. At the same time, pro-choice groups which had organized a counter manifestation, and who had violently attacked the pro-life group during previous manifestations were allowed to hold their manifestation by walking around the hospital.
Former Scottish National Party leader Gordon Wilson has said a “lynch mob” booted him off the board of Dundee Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) because of his support for traditional marriage after Mr Wilson had responded to the Scottish Government’s consultation on redefining marriage, saying that he was opposed to the idea.
On October 25th, the state court of Graz, Styria, upheld a judgement of the first instance condemning pro-life side-walk counsellors to payments between 350 and 6200 Euro.
Adrian Smith (Christian, 54, father of two) of Manchester was demoted by his employer Trafford Council and Trafford Housing Trust after making a comment regarding the controversial plans of the ministers that could allow same-sex couples by law to „marry“ in Church although the Church of England refuses to participate.
UK, Blackpool: Jamie Murray, Salt & Light Coffee House's owner, has been visited by the Lancashire Police and threatened for the display of Bible versicles on a TV screen inside his property. The police told Murray that the Bible passages use offensive, insulting words, and this constitutes a violation of Section 5 of the Public Order Act. The officers warned Murray that if he didn’t stop, he could be prosecuted for hate speech. The coffee house TV screen connected to a DVD displays images with no soundtrack from "Watchword Bible", which contents verses from the New Testament.
Left-wing extremists prevented a pro-life group from showing a short movie about the development of the human embryo on the square in front of Düsseldorf’s main railway station.
The Christian pro life group "SOS Tout Petits" was attacked by pro-choice and anti-Christian activists during a manifestation in front of the Paris Hospital Tenon while praying peacefully.
A new study has found that Google and other major social media sites such as Facebook have “actively” censored Christian and conservative viewpoints. The report examined the policies and practices of several major Internet-interactive “new media” communications platforms and service providers, including Apple and its iTunes App Store, Facebook, Google, and others.
Postal workers in Jersey refused to deliver audio recordings of St Mark’s Gospel after deeming it “offensive material”. Several churches clubbed together to pay for 45,000 CDs to be produced to mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. A copy of the recording was due to be delivered to every household on the Channel Island of Jersey. But church leaders were left reeling after Jersey Post claimed that the CDs could offend people and refused to deliver them.
A reparative therapy conference, which aims to help people who struggle with same sex attraction, was denied to use of the Medical School Foundation (UM) facilities in Poznan, Poland. The conference, featuring psychologist Dr. Joseph Nicolosi of the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH), received criticisms from Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, and it was after them that UM decided not to host the event. Gazeta Wyborcza highlighted that the American Psychological Association (APA) has concerns about the effects of treatment for same-sex attraction.
Volker Beck, member of the German Bundestag (parliament) and speaker on human rights issues of the Green party, has launched an initiative to engage the German Medical Association against the German Union of Catholic Physicians (BKÄ). On their website, the BKÄ provides informations about therapeutic options in case of unwanted same-sex attraction.
The media group Premier Christian Radio's advertizment on the marginalization of Christians in the workplace was banned by the Radio Advertising Clearance Centre (RACC) for being “politically motivated”. Even though the ad was modified and redone several times, RACC upheld the ban.
In Freiburg, the Agency for Public Order restricted access around the entrance area of Pro Familia (an organisation which offers pregnancy conflict counseling including the option of abortion) for counsellors of the faith-based nonprofit association „Centre of Life - Helpers of God’s Precious Infants“ (Lebenszentrum - Helfer für Gottes kostbare Kinder e.V.) The aim of the associaton is to encourage and support expecting mothers in conflict to give birth to their child by offering differents kinds of support.
The local authorities in Munich (Kreisverwaltungsreferat, KVR) have prohibited all pro life activity in front of Germany’s biggest abortion clinic (Dr. Friedrich Stapf, 4000 abortions per year) and called the so-called side-walk counselling a serious impropriety („grobe Ungehörigkeit“) to be punished by a fine of 500 €.
The campaign “Calling the Pope to Account” sued Pope Benedict XVI at the International Criminal Court in The Hague for crimes against humanity. The charges are: “the preservation and leadership of a worldwide totalitarian regime of coercion, which subjugates its members with terrifying and health-endangering threats; the adherence to a fatal forbiddance of the use of condoms, even when the danger of HIV-AIDS infection exists; and the establishment and maintenance of a worldwide system of cover-up of the sexual crimes committed by Catholic priests and their preferential treatment, which aids and abets ever new crimes”. The campaign is supported by posters and a book publication.
A French history teacher was permanently dismissed for showing his students a video on abortion and talking about French abortion law.
Apple suppresses diversity of belief by shutting down two Christian iPhone applications claiming that the were “offensive to large groups of people”, and the support of traditional marriage, family, and life “expose[d] a group to harm” and delivered “hate speech”.
An Italian school from Genova, Pertini-Diaz, rejected Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco’s visit. The spokesperson for Pertini-Diaz expressed concerns about the pastoral purpose of the visit, and the security staff that the cardinal would bring along with him. The Pertini-Diaz school would however welcome a non-pastoral visit.
Mr. Günther Annen demonstrated in front of the abortion clinic of Dr. Karl-Heinz Jordan twice in August 2010, displaying a sign which said: „Why does Dr. Karl-Heinz Jordan kill unborn children?“ He was sentenced for insult to a penalty of 1500 € by the Darnstadt public prosecutor's office on Jan. 25, 2011.
At a meeting on Freedom of Religion of OSCE/ODIHR in Vienna on Dec 9 and 10, the spokesperson of Wüstenstrom, a Christian NGO representing people with unwanted same-sex attractions, summarized a series of intolerance and attacks against them and their work. Find here the full text of his intervention.
Christian Mental Health worker suspended after talking to colleague informally about abortion risks and told „never to do this again“ and reinstated only several weeks later.
Radical groups forced the Archdiocese of Madrid to cancel a speech of Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela scheduled to be held at the Autonomous University of Madrid.
Msgr. Leonard faces accusations of homophobia for expressing controversial positions on the causes of HIV/AIDS.
BHA (British Humanist Association) has called on the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums, North Somerset Council, Visit Britain and South West England to shut down the zoo. The secular group claims that the zoo is misleading tens of thousands of visitors annually and ‘threatening public understanding’ by questioning the traditional view of evolution.
Two Christian pro-life protesters were arrested twice by Police in Brighton and await the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service to see if they will face a Criminal Prosecution.
Spain's government fined the Christian television network 100,000 euros for running a series of advertisements in favor of the family and opposing homosexual lifestyle.
A Football Association official prevented a prominent footballer for England’s World Cup team from talking about his Christian faith to reporters during a press conference.
Turkish attorneys now in fourth year of prosecuting two Christians for allegedly slandering Islam; despite the lack of any concrete evidence to support their claims, Turkish courts are continuing prosecution.
A moderate Christian preacher, Andy Robertson, was wrongly told by a police officer Gainsborough, Lincolnshire that it is a crime to publicly express the religious belief that homosexual conduct is sinful.
Street Preacher Dale McAlpine was arrested after stating to a passersby that homosexuality was a sin. After seven hours in a police cell, McAlpine was released. (video footage available!)
A street preacher has been arrested and fined £1000 in Glasgow for telling passersby, in answer to a direct question, that homosexual activity is a sin. He was sentenced for “homophobic remarks…aggravated by religious prejudice.”
A district judge has thrown out the case against another street preacher, Paul Shaw, who was arrested on February 19 in Colchester over comments he made about homosexual activity.
The Christian Institute published a report called "Marginalising Christians", cataloguing numerous cases of Christians being sidelined by public bodies, popular media, employers and facing barriers to public funding.
In 2009 the Roman Catholic Polish magazine, Gosc Niedzielny (Sunday Visitor) was fined nearly €25,000 for an anti-abortion editorial.
A Christian hotelier couple who expressed their Christian beliefs to Muslim guest during a discussion of religion were subsequently arrested for disrupting public order. Charges were later dismissed.
Homosexual students disrupted a lecture of Protestant philosopher Prof. Edith Düsing at Cologne University. The students made noise and used kissing and banners due to her support of a manifesto in May 2009 protesting the cancellation of an academic lecture at a psychology congress on grounds of the speakers’ research on healing homosexuality.
Scotland town eliminated all references to Christmas, an address by a Christian minister, and the traditional nativity from its annual holiday celebration.
Christian woman of Norwich complained about a gay pride march in letter to police upon which she was investigated on hate crime.
Freedom of speech is being challenged in the case of Miguel Hayworth, a Christian street preacher in Manchester, UK who was silenced by police after publicly reading a passage from the Bible discussing homosexuality.
German Gay and Lesbian Association in opposition to two speeches on Psychotherapy congress on whether sexual orientation could be changed if wished for. Speeches had to be delivered with police protection. Anti-Christian counter-demonstration portrayed Jesus as a pig nailed to the cross and used slogans such as: “We are here to hurt your feelings.”
Liberal Group in the European Parliament tabled an amendment to the Annual Report on Human Rights in the World condemning Pope Benedict XVI's anti-condom statement.
Anand Rao, a nurse with over 40-years of experience, has been sacked after he suggested two people playing patients might go to Church and pray during a role play session on a training course.
The Belgian Chamber and Senate overwhelmingly approve of two decisions that formally condemn the pope for having stated that the distribution of condoms will not help to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. The pope’s position is called a “crime against humanity."
In March 2009, more than 100 participants of an unannounced counter-demonstration partially blocked a pro-life organisations, the so called 1000-crosses-march, in Muenster (Münster). The chairman of the pro-life organisation Euro pro Life, Wolfgang Hering, responsible for the march, had been surrounded by a large number of tourblemakers. Only under threat of coercive measures by the police, he was released by the attackers.
Liberal Harvard scholar Edward Green strongly attacked in public for agreeing with Pope in saying that the distribution of condoms will not prevent the spread of HIV/Aids.