The council’s approach here of banning sound amplification equipment is a fair step and a good way for other councils to tackle this IMO.
You have a right to free speech (free expression strictly speaking) but you don’t have a right to cause a noise nuisance.
If I was to think of a rule, for fun:
When they physically block any carriageway (including pavements).
When their sound can be heard more than .. er .. 5 meters away.
When their sound can be heard by someone that is there all day (like a market stall owner).
Them’s the rules I’ve just invented ..?
Oh – also some kind of limit to flashing mentally-bright lights
> When does street-preaching become anti-social?
It is always anti-social, if I wanted to hear about Jesus I would go to church. Let me walk down the street in peace.
When it could be classified as manic…
I’m old. I’ll show myself out.
As soon as it starts. it is categorically anti-social to preach to people who have no desire to be preached to. We just put up with them for a quiet (ha) life.
When they turn on their speaker and start chatting utter bollocks through the microphone. That’s when it becomes antisocial.
I say we corral them all into a small square in a car park somewhere, and they can all preach to each other.
Little stall that people can visit if they want to = fine. Megaphone telling me I’m Satan’s greatest soldier, probably not fine, but depends on how I’m feeling that day.
It’s been anti-social in Manchester for years. They’re obnoxiously loud.
Given that businesses have to pay to trade from a gazebo in the city centre, I’d love to know how much religious groups pay for a similar set up.
They’ve gotten out of control recently. You’d see the occasional eccentric with a noticeboard ranting away and they’d be easily ignored. But now there are loads and some have microphones.
They also seem to have been joined by conspiracy nutters ranting and handing out leaflets as well. Most Saturdays there is at a table in my town with a few guys ranting about 5G or Vaccines and handing out copies of The Light. The guys always look like the biggest bunch or misfits and losers imaginable as well.
It’s the one thing the Jehovah’s witnesses get right. They sit away on the side, quietly with a little display and don’t make a noise unless you engage with them
The mad catholics screaming about how gay people are going to hell with an amp and a mic is just noise and mind pollution
“when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full”
– the bible
I hate street preachers
I dont know but if end of world happens as often as people say in my home city it be truelly silly. There one who read entire bible to you before asking do you want to be saved. It weird because as well that we got beggars asking for money, con people and large band of buskers playing all day . Even some you are cheating and just playing a cd. Gosh I wish someone would sort out our city centre before it killed off .
Could one of these intolerant bigots please go to the nearest hospital and heal a few children with cancer. This would be a far better advert for their eternal and invincible deity than bothering people on the street. I’m sure the parents and family would gladly give some money for the local clergy to go on a nice holiday and a new car.
I don’t mind being asked if I’m interested in something on the street
Come up and politely ask that’s fine
The second you have a A board or sound amplification or just the strongest set of lungs this side of the Orwell
Then it’s time to shut the fuck up
Street preaching should be illegal. This is a secular country.
They’re trying to programme your brain, it begins with feelings of fear and guilt. Whatever you do, do not fall for that schitt.
It’s always anti-social.
Religious protection should only apply if your religion obeys equality laws.
If you’re yelling at me that I am going to burn in hell and are a sinner then I have the right to be aggressive against you in return.
Ask them if they want to hear about other religions and cults as they try and get their shopping. See how well that goes down. I can guarantee they wouldn’t like it.
Always. They’re there to tell you how evil you are for not being their particular flavour of religious.
When does squatting down and takimg a dump in the street become anti-social?
If you’re doing this, you’re aiming to upset and/or insult people. I’m yet to see an example where this is not the case.
It is anti-social but we have free speech in this country
They don’t really have anything to say. It’s just like shouting slogans at passers by. I’d say the local vicar sermon would hold more merit than what these people have to say.
Jesus didn’t stand on street corners screaming like a rabid banshee.
Always.
Stop disrupting my day, I’m never going to believe in your imaginary friend.
There was a super weird march/preaching session/mass gathering of some Christian denomination on Carnaby Street in London on Saturday. So fucking annoying, frankly. It’s not a particularly wide street and they were blocking the whole width of it. I say this as someone who follows some tenets of Christianity but firmly believes that religion is a private matter.
As I was walking around town the other week, an ambulance was assisting a lady who had collapsed. I’d only noticed because the street preacher was talking about how you never know when your last day is and while we’re still alive we need to turn to God. He was gesturing at the scene.
I think that’s pretty antisocial.
Mr Balkaran said he comes to Leicester city centre to promote his faith three times a week and feels as though “the whole town is telling us to get lost.”
Yes. There are worship places for that, no need to scream on the streets.
When they start speaking loudly to no one in particular
‘Street’ doesn’t come into it.
Preaching in general is antisocial by definition.
You’re approaching someone with the express intention of influencing their beliefs.
You believe your thing and I’ll believe mine. Beliefs don’t get ‘more true’ if you spread them round.
It’s anti social & annoying. Shame its not banned or something
Always. One of the reasons I dislike Piccadilly Gardens and Market Street in Manchester is because of the incessant preachers of all varieties. There’s all sorts of denominations of Christians and Muslims telling us that we’re sinners and we need to convert to save our souls. I once had some evangelical Christian nutters follow me up to Piccadilly train station calling me a sinner because I chose not to speak to them.
By all means practice and preach away in your homes and your places of worship, but leave the rest of us alone. If you can’t do that, follow the example of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and just stand there silently, leaving up to people to decide if they want to talk to you or not. Have some respect for other people and their privacy.
When is it not, I don’t want some nutter shouting out loud about how their particular desert cults magic book is correct and everyone else’s is garbage
I am an Atheist. All of my friends are Atheists. Britain is largely secular. I shouldn’t hear *any* preaching in a public place, for any faith. Should be treated the same as someone screaming about Atlantis or the flat Earth.
34 comments
The council’s approach here of banning sound amplification equipment is a fair step and a good way for other councils to tackle this IMO.
You have a right to free speech (free expression strictly speaking) but you don’t have a right to cause a noise nuisance.
If I was to think of a rule, for fun:
When they physically block any carriageway (including pavements).
When their sound can be heard more than .. er .. 5 meters away.
When their sound can be heard by someone that is there all day (like a market stall owner).
Them’s the rules I’ve just invented ..?
Oh – also some kind of limit to flashing mentally-bright lights
> When does street-preaching become anti-social?
It is always anti-social, if I wanted to hear about Jesus I would go to church. Let me walk down the street in peace.
When it could be classified as manic…
I’m old. I’ll show myself out.
As soon as it starts. it is categorically anti-social to preach to people who have no desire to be preached to. We just put up with them for a quiet (ha) life.
When they turn on their speaker and start chatting utter bollocks through the microphone. That’s when it becomes antisocial.
I say we corral them all into a small square in a car park somewhere, and they can all preach to each other.
Little stall that people can visit if they want to = fine. Megaphone telling me I’m Satan’s greatest soldier, probably not fine, but depends on how I’m feeling that day.
It’s been anti-social in Manchester for years. They’re obnoxiously loud.
Given that businesses have to pay to trade from a gazebo in the city centre, I’d love to know how much religious groups pay for a similar set up.
They’ve gotten out of control recently. You’d see the occasional eccentric with a noticeboard ranting away and they’d be easily ignored. But now there are loads and some have microphones.
They also seem to have been joined by conspiracy nutters ranting and handing out leaflets as well. Most Saturdays there is at a table in my town with a few guys ranting about 5G or Vaccines and handing out copies of The Light. The guys always look like the biggest bunch or misfits and losers imaginable as well.
It’s the one thing the Jehovah’s witnesses get right. They sit away on the side, quietly with a little display and don’t make a noise unless you engage with them
The mad catholics screaming about how gay people are going to hell with an amp and a mic is just noise and mind pollution
“when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full”
– the bible
I hate street preachers
I dont know but if end of world happens as often as people say in my home city it be truelly silly. There one who read entire bible to you before asking do you want to be saved. It weird because as well that we got beggars asking for money, con people and large band of buskers playing all day . Even some you are cheating and just playing a cd. Gosh I wish someone would sort out our city centre before it killed off .
Could one of these intolerant bigots please go to the nearest hospital and heal a few children with cancer. This would be a far better advert for their eternal and invincible deity than bothering people on the street. I’m sure the parents and family would gladly give some money for the local clergy to go on a nice holiday and a new car.
I don’t mind being asked if I’m interested in something on the street
Come up and politely ask that’s fine
The second you have a A board or sound amplification or just the strongest set of lungs this side of the Orwell
Then it’s time to shut the fuck up
Street preaching should be illegal. This is a secular country.
They’re trying to programme your brain, it begins with feelings of fear and guilt. Whatever you do, do not fall for that schitt.
It’s always anti-social.
Religious protection should only apply if your religion obeys equality laws.
If you’re yelling at me that I am going to burn in hell and are a sinner then I have the right to be aggressive against you in return.
Ask them if they want to hear about other religions and cults as they try and get their shopping. See how well that goes down. I can guarantee they wouldn’t like it.
Always. They’re there to tell you how evil you are for not being their particular flavour of religious.
When does squatting down and takimg a dump in the street become anti-social?
If you’re doing this, you’re aiming to upset and/or insult people. I’m yet to see an example where this is not the case.
It is anti-social but we have free speech in this country
They don’t really have anything to say. It’s just like shouting slogans at passers by. I’d say the local vicar sermon would hold more merit than what these people have to say.
Jesus didn’t stand on street corners screaming like a rabid banshee.
Always.
Stop disrupting my day, I’m never going to believe in your imaginary friend.
There was a super weird march/preaching session/mass gathering of some Christian denomination on Carnaby Street in London on Saturday. So fucking annoying, frankly. It’s not a particularly wide street and they were blocking the whole width of it. I say this as someone who follows some tenets of Christianity but firmly believes that religion is a private matter.
As I was walking around town the other week, an ambulance was assisting a lady who had collapsed. I’d only noticed because the street preacher was talking about how you never know when your last day is and while we’re still alive we need to turn to God. He was gesturing at the scene.
I think that’s pretty antisocial.
Mr Balkaran said he comes to Leicester city centre to promote his faith three times a week and feels as though “the whole town is telling us to get lost.”
Yes. There are worship places for that, no need to scream on the streets.
When they start speaking loudly to no one in particular
‘Street’ doesn’t come into it.
Preaching in general is antisocial by definition.
You’re approaching someone with the express intention of influencing their beliefs.
You believe your thing and I’ll believe mine. Beliefs don’t get ‘more true’ if you spread them round.
It’s anti social & annoying. Shame its not banned or something
Always. One of the reasons I dislike Piccadilly Gardens and Market Street in Manchester is because of the incessant preachers of all varieties. There’s all sorts of denominations of Christians and Muslims telling us that we’re sinners and we need to convert to save our souls. I once had some evangelical Christian nutters follow me up to Piccadilly train station calling me a sinner because I chose not to speak to them.
By all means practice and preach away in your homes and your places of worship, but leave the rest of us alone. If you can’t do that, follow the example of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and just stand there silently, leaving up to people to decide if they want to talk to you or not. Have some respect for other people and their privacy.
When is it not, I don’t want some nutter shouting out loud about how their particular desert cults magic book is correct and everyone else’s is garbage
I am an Atheist. All of my friends are Atheists. Britain is largely secular. I shouldn’t hear *any* preaching in a public place, for any faith. Should be treated the same as someone screaming about Atlantis or the flat Earth.
Comments are closed.