It has been widely reported that the Gay Police Association (GPA), who produced an advertisement that was carried in The Independent to raise awareness of homophobic incidents where the perpetrator is motivated by their religion, are to be subject to an investigation by the Metropolitan Police, following complaints by religious groups.
The visually arresting advert featured a bible and a pool of blood together with statistics on the increase in the number of religiously motivated hate crimes, which some religious groups have labeled as ‘Christianophobic’.
The British Humanist Association (BHA) disagrees.
Criticising the decision of the Metropolitan Police to treat the publication of the advert as possibly constituting a hate crime on religious grounds, BHA Chief Executive Hanne Stinsoncommented: ‘The BHA has a strong commitment, as I’m sure does the GPA, to non discrimination on every ground – including that of religion or belief. But discrimination and hate crime are serious matters – they do not consist merely of the giving of offence, and for the Metropolitan Police to imply the opposite in this way is irresponsible’
You can read the full text of the BHA’s letter of support to the GPA, which was also sent to the Metropolitan Police here
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For further comment or any enquiries email Andrew (Education and Public Affairs) or Hanne (Chief Executive) or telephone 020 7079 3584/3 or 07855 380633
The British Humanist Association is the largest organisation in the UK working for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief, and for a secular society. It has also given more than fifty years of support to the cause of equal treatment regardless of sexual orientation.