London Council Reverses Street Preaching Ban After Legal Challenge by Pentecostal Church

by Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Staff

(Worthy News) – A Pentecostal church is celebrating what it calls a major victory for Christian freedoms after Hillingdon Council backed down from enforcing a ban on street preaching, leaflet distribution, and the public display of Bible verses in Uxbridge town centre.

The Kingsborough Centre, a Pentecostal church based in north-west London, successfully challenged the council’s Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), introduced in August 2023, which criminalized preaching with amplification, handing out Christian literature, and displaying Bible-themed posters. Offenders faced £100 fines under the controversial order aimed at curbing anti-social behaviour.

Represented by the Christian Legal Centre (CLC), the church filed for a judicial review, arguing the order unlawfully suppressed peaceful religious expression and was enacted without proper consultation. According to the CLC, Christians were warned by police just one day after the PSPO came into effect that they could face penalties for continuing outreach activities.

The High Court allowed the legal challenge to proceed, prompting further negotiations with the council. In a statement, Hillingdon Council confirmed it had reversed the policy, clarifying that the PSPO “does not apply where distribution is for a political or religious purpose or by or on behalf of a charity.” The council also announced it would amend the order to remove restrictions on amplification and religious displays.

In a significant concession, Hillingdon Council agreed to cover the church’s legal costs and pledged to include the proposed revisions in a new draft PSPO for public consultation.

Pastor Babatunde Balogun of the Kingsborough Centre expressed relief at the outcome, calling the previous restrictions “oppressive.”

“The legislation created a climate of fear which meant we could not carry out sharing the gospel with the people of Uxbridge,” said Balogun. “We hope this case and the awareness it raises will set a precedent across the country.”

CLC chief executive Andrea Williams welcomed the reversal, warning that if left unchallenged, the PSPO could have set a “chilling precedent” for Christian outreach in the UK.

“Christian open-air preaching has a long and respected history in the UK and is seen as a pillar of free speech and expression, whether passers-by agree with the message or not,” Williams said. “It can never be ‘anti-social’ to share the hope of the gospel.”

The case is expected to influence future debates over religious liberty and the limits of public order legislation across the United Kingdom.

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