A man in Boston, Lincolnshire has been warned by the
police that if he puts up a small poster in his window that says
"religions are fairy stories for adults" he could face arrest.
John
Richards was told by officers that the poster could breach the Public
Order Act by "distressing" passers by. But Mr Richards is defiant and
says he will put up the poster anyway, as not to do so implies a threat
to free speech.
He told The Boston Standard:
"The police said I could be arrested if somebody complained and said
they were insulted, but the sign was up two years ago and nobody
responded or smashed the window. I am an atheist and I feel people are
being misled by religion.
I wanted to show people that if they thought
they were alone there was at least one other person who thought that. I
accept that the police emphasised the words could lead to an arrest but
the implication is a threat to free speech which surely should be
fought."
The Public Order Act dictates that it is an
offence to display any sign which is threatening, abusive or insulting,
and could cause distress. The NSS is currently campaigning to have the "insulting" element of this law removed.
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