All cases
UK Survey Highlights Christian Students Being Silenced on University Campus
June 30, 2023, United KingdomA survey by Coventry University has detected varying levels of silencing among Christian students sharing experiences of prejudice and discrimination. Among students of other religions, Christian students stand out as feeling pressured to change their worldview.
New Sex-Ed Legislation in Northern Ireland Threatens Freedom of Religion
June 28, 2023, United KingdomOn the 28th of June, 2023, the UK government voted to introduce a new mandatory curriculum on sex and abortion in Northern Ireland, which includes education on the prevention of early pregnancy and how to access an abortion. This legislation has met with worry about the freedom of conscience and religion in Northern Ireland. Right To Life UK spokesperson Catherine Robinson said: "This legislation will likely put teachers and parents who oppose abortion in a very difficult situation.”
Northamptonshire Councillor Cancelled and Suspended for Tweet About Pride
June 19, 2023, United KingdomChristian Councillor King Lawal, who has been a councillor at North Northamptonshire Unitary Council for two years, was cancelled by seven organizations and suspended by the Conservative party pending an investigation over his tweets. His tweets commented on an LGBT pride parade that included naked men illegally parading through the streets in front of children. On June 19, he tweeted: "When did Pride become a thing to celebrate? Because of Pride Satan fell as an archangel. Pride is not a virtue but a sin." On the same day he posted the tweet, he was contacted by the leader of North Northamptonshire Unitary Council who told him that he was suspended for 21 days pending an investigation. On July 3, a local authority that held a substantial council contract with Cllr Lawal's family business ordered an urgent meeting. The family business was told that unless Cllr Lawal was removed immediately as director, their contract would be withdrawn. Under potentially illegal pressure, Cllr Lawal resigned from his own company. Supported by the Christian Legal Centre, Cllr Lawal instructed his lawyers to prepare legal action alleging multiple violations of his rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion. On October 26, at a full council meeting, Cllr Lawal was reinstated. After being suspended for 3 months, Cllr Lawal said he was "relieved" but the Conservative party had still not dropped the complaint against him.
Mary Figure Beheaded at Church in Braunton
June 11, 2023, United KingdomVandals took the head off a statute of Mary which stood outside St. Brannock Catholic Church in Braunton. They threw the torso into the consecrated shallow well and wedged her head into a nearby wall. Mrs. Smith-Bingham, who lives close the the church, stated: "I heard some noise on Sunday (June 11), and when my husband went to look, he noticed this had happened (...).The community should be made aware that a religious hate crime has been reported to the police. There has been petty vandalism in the area for the last 18 months or so, but this is on a different scale." Damage was also caused to the church door, and police are investigating the criminal damage.
Priest's Chair Stolen from Church in Cransford
June 10, 2023, United KingdomBetween 8 AM on June 9 and the evening of June 10, a Mendlesham Priest Chair was stolen from St. Peter's Church in Cransford. A spokesperon for Suffolk police said: "Local communities are urged to vigilant of any suspicious activity around churches and report anything of conern to the police.
Valuables Stolen from Church in Bournemouth
June 9, 2023, United KingdomA number of distinctive items have been stolen from St. Stephen's Church in Bournemouth, with police releasing a CCTV image of a suspect. The man was seen on the camera footage on June 9 at 9:30 AM. It was reported that he stole a silver sanctuary lamp, a decorative gold palm leaf and a statue of Our Lady of Walsingham. A private area of the church was also broken into and a number of items were damaged. The police have not arrested the man and are continuing their search.
Thieves Smash Window and Steal Candlestick from Sussex Church
June 2, 2023, United KingdomA suspect entered St. Mary the Virgin Church in Littlehampton, Sussex the night between June 1 and June 2. Damage was caused to a window and a candlestick was stolen. Officers attended the scene and an investigation is now underway.
Graveyard and Church Defaced in Blackfairs Walk
May 25, 2023, United KingdomVandals targeted the Auld Kirk of Ayr in Blackfriars Walk on the evening of May 25. Grave stones were painted, rude imagery was drawn over stained glass windows and profanity was written on an iron gate. Historic stonework, as well as a welcome sign featuring a picture of King Charles III was vandalized with red spray paint. The incident is being investigated by Ayr Police.
Update: Landmark Case Bans Christian Teacher for Misgendering a Transgender Pupil
May 23, 2023, United KingdomOn May 23rd, a ruling by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) in the UK banned Christian Joshua Sutcliffe from teaching altogether, after he failed to treat his pupils "with dignity and respect" by misgendering a transgender boy. This case is the first of its kind in the UK and has become international news. It goes back to 2017, when the former maths teacher at the Cherwell School in Oxford, said "well done girls" to a group of girls, where one was a transgender boy - and he later apologized. Sutcliffe was later also accused of inappropriately sharing his Christian beliefs.
British Man Admits Plotting to Murder Street Evangelist Hatun Tash
May 19, 2023, United KingdomA 21-year-old British man, Edward Little, has pleaded guilty to preparing to commit acts of terrorism in an attack against the evangelist Hatun Tash in 2022. Little was found carrying £5,000, with which he planned to buy a firearm to kill Hatun Tash at the Speaker's Corner, a place for public debates where she frequently debates and preaches. He refused the allegations at first, but on the May 19, 2023 he admitted to planning the murder back on September 23, 2022.
Teacher dismissed for 'hate speech' after being encouraged to share his Christian beliefs
May 12, 2023, United KingdomA teacher in Wales, Ben Dybowski, was encouraged to express his Christian beliefs at a seminar and was subsequently fired for "hate speech", according to the Daily Mail. The school claims that there is no evidence that his assignment was ended on the basis of his religious beliefs. The teacher said that he was prompted to share his opinions during a mandatory training session organised by the charity Diverse Cymru to instruct teachers on "workforce diversity practice, unconscious bias and gender awareness." He later commented that: "We were told it was a safe space and encouraged to speak freely."
Teacher Faces dismissal for Questioning 'Gender Transition' Advice from LGBTQ+ NGO to 8-year-old kid
May 12, 2023, United KingdomA Christian primary school teacher who questioned Stonewall and Mermaids' recommendations to support a "gender transition" of an 8-year-old student without providing any supporting medical data has lost her job and is the subject of numerous regulatory body inquiries. She is being supported by the organisation Christian Concern to contest against her dismissal due to discrimination based on her religion.
Organ Pipes Stolen From Sussex Church
May 12, 2023, United KingdomOrgan pipes were stolen and the organ of the St John The Divine Church in Patching, England, was damaged on the night of the May 12 to 13, 2023. The theft is expected to cost thousands of pounds to repair or replace.
UPDATE: Christian Mayoral Candidate Wins Legal Case After Being Fired For alleged "Hate Speech"
April 30, 2023, United KingdomIn 2022, Maureen Martin, who was campaigning to become a mayor in London was sacked by her housing association employer for stating publicly that she believed in marriage between men and women. She was accused of gross misconduct for leading a "discriminatory" campaign. In April 2023, she won substantial damages following a legal challenge against her dismissal by the London & Quadrant Housing Trust (L&Q). She was supported by the NGO Christian Concern.
Damages at Church in Beccles
April 22, 2023, United KingdomSt. Michael's Church in Beccles was targeted by vandals who damaged stones and moved fences. Suffolk Police said the incident occurred at some point between April 17 and 22. Damage was caused to the stonework, including to the patio terrace slabs, and safety fences were moved that were in position to safeguard and protect an area on the ground where loose stone masonry may fall from the church. The police closed the case pending further investigative opportunities. No arrests were made and no suspects were identified.
St Michael's Church vandalized in Suffolk
April 17, 2023, United KingdomBetween April 17 and 22, the St Michael's Church in Beccles was vandalised. Perpetrators caused damage to the masonry, to the stonework, including to the patio terrace slabs, and safety fences were moved. The Suffolk police was informed and are looking for the perpetrators.
Explosives used to steals thousands of pounds of sacred silver
April 14, 2023, United KingdomTens of thousands of pounds worth of chalices and sacred items have been stolen from the Lady Saint Mary's Church in Wareham after thefts broke into the church and blew up the safe on April 14. Explosives were used for the break-in and at least 25 pieces of communion silver, including a 450-year-old Elizabethan chalice worth 30,000 pounds, were stolen. The police suspects this gang of thieves has been targeting churches across the UK.
30 Gravestones Vandalized In Church Cemetery near London
April 12, 2023, United KingdomOver three nights on April 12, 13, and 14, in Croydon, thirty gravestones have been destroyed with a sledgehammer - some graves were dating back 500 years, at a Grade I listed church. «The church is appealing for witnesses along with police who are trying to find out who took a sledgehammer to the graves. »
Valuable Silver Sacred Objects stolen from a Rural Church
March 19, 2023, United KingdomOn the night of March 19th, burglars stole valuable silver items in a church from a rural parish in East Devon in Sidmouth. The police are looking for witnesses. On Twitter, pictures show that the objects were chalices, host holders and other tools for the celebration of Mass.
GOOD NEWS: England & Wales Police must defend freedom of expression even if controversial
March 13, 2023, United KingdomA new code of practice on Non-Crime Hate Incidents (NCHI) introduced to UK Parliament in March clarifyies that simply causing offence is not enough to justify the police including someone's personal information in an NCHI. This comes in opposition to previous NCHI measures that unlawfully interfered with free speech. For example when the Police logged the personal details of a person in a NCHI record after receiving a complaint about a ‘transphobic’ tweet. This user, Harry Miller, appealed and won the case.