Daily Archives: September 18, 2012

A District Judge dismissed the case against Andrew Stephenson, 37, and Kathryn Sloane, 21, who were arrested after unfurling 7ft banners showing aborted foetuses outside the Wistons clinic in Brighton last year.

The Christian Legal Centre, which supported the defendants, said it would be seeking an urgent meeting with police chiefs about the interpretation of the Public Order Act relating to issues of religious belief.

Claims emerged during the trial that police had been actively "fishing for complaints" in an effort to get rid of the campaigners.

Mr Stephenson said: "What the police have been doing in shutting us down has had a chilling effect on free speech.

Hopefully, this will have a chilling effect on the police to hold back on the over-reaching application of the law."

Andrea Minichiello Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Cantre, said: The dismissal of these charges will be welcomed by all who value freedom of speech and expression.

Given our experience in this and other similar cases, we will be seeking a meeting with the Association of Chief Police Officers to explore whether better guidance can be drawn up over the policing of such activities, especially those motivated by religious convictions.

Read more:
Anti-abortion campaigners hail 'free speech victory' as trial collapses

UNCs free speech policy ratings have gone from bad to worse, marking the University as among the most suppressive studied.

Robert Shibley, senior vice president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, delivered a lecture on free speech rights to commemorate Constitution Day. The speech was hosted by UNC Young Americans for Liberty.

Shibley said UNC is labeled a red light university by FIRE, which rates universities levels of free speech protection.

In 2010, UNC received a yellow light rating from FIRE.

FIRE defines a red light school as one that has at least one policy that both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech.

Administrators want free speech advocates to feel alone on campus, Shibley said.

You are not. America is with you.

FIRE reports that of the 400 major universities it reviews, 65 percent are red light schools and 29 percent are yellow light schools.

Shibley said that UNCs Community Living Standards policy has broad definitions that may extensively limit students speech.

The policy states that it is a students responsibility to avoid using the written or spoken word in a way that demeans, defames, offends, slanders or discriminates.

Read more from the original source:
UNC recieves low rating for levels of free speech protection