A new 'Street Preacher's Charter' has been launched in Parliament after a succession of fines and arrests involving pastors, some of which have led to hefty compensation payouts from police.
The charter, drawn up by The Christian Institute, aims to protect street preaching and free speech while also calling Christians to preach "responsibly" and avoid "behaviour which might give street preaching a bad name". The Christian Institute hopes that street preachers, the police and local authorities will adopt the charter.
"The Charter sets out the rights and responsibilities of individuals who engage in public preaching or share their beliefs in the streets of England and Wales," The Christian Institute said.
"It is intended to support those who preach on the streets, and to guide police and local authorities in upholding long-standing free speech protections".
The document contains an overview of good practice and relevant laws to guide both street preachers and police.
With regards to the conduct of street preachers, it advises them to stay accountable by connecting with a local church, check local regulations, and seek to build good relations with the local council, police and shop owners.
If they choose to discuss "contentious issues such as gender, sexual orientation and sexual ethics", they should "do so with care and in the appropriate context".
"Commend the exclusive claims of Jesus rather than focusing on preaching against other faiths," the charter states.
"Remember that the freedom to say or do something does not mean that we always should."
Street preachers should also be mindful of the volume at which they preach and avoid sounding "angry" or using "a confrontational or argumentative style". They must "never single someone out of the crowd to preach at".
"Be friendly and cooperative," it says. "Respect rightful authority. The Apostle Paul showed respect to those with whom he disagreed."
The document has been endorsed by the street preaching organisations, Open Air Campaigners GB and Open-Air Mission.
The foreword to the charter was written by former Director of Public Prosecutions, Lord Macdonald of River Glaven KC, who noted that free speech in the UK was hard won.
“The emergence of free speech in our society was partly forged amid the legal persecution of Christian open-air preachers. Today, both our common law and modern human rights instruments uphold those hard-fought freedoms, and they are routinely used and enjoyed by those of all faiths and none," he said.
"If conducted responsibly, street preaching can enhance the vibrancy of our public squares and serve to remind us that we are a society where free speech is valued and different opinions and beliefs are tolerated.”
Sam Webster, solicitor and head of legal at The Christian Institute, was the primary author of the charter. He said ahead of the launch: “Our Charter seeks to remind police and local councils of the freedoms that street preachers have enjoyed in this country for hundreds of years, whilst at the same time capturing a sense of the often-difficult but important job performed by police and local officials in keeping order on the streets.
“Our hope is that over time, we will see more and more street preachers who make the Charter their own. And in due course we would love to see police forces and councils who might be prepared to formally endorse the Charter.”
The charter was inspired by a 'wrongful arrest' case involving Scottish street preacher Angus Cameron, 52. The father of two was arrested for ‘breach of the peace’ while preaching in Glasgow city centre in 2022.
The arrest was made after police received one unsubstantiated complaint. He was handcuffed by police and publicly searched in the presence of passers-by before being held in a police van for just over an hour. Police later informed him that although he would not be prosecuted, a ‘non-crime hate incident report’ would still be recorded against his name.
The Christian Institute, acting on his behalf, obtained disclosure of internal police documentation, which showed the police had no basis to suspect the preacher had committed any offence – necessary for a lawful arrest.
With help from The Christian Institute, he took successful legal action against Police Scotland for wrongful arrest, discrimination and breach of human rights. This led to him receiving a payout from Police Scotland of £5,500 along with £9,400 in legal costs, which he donated to The Christian Institute.
