Tatchell attacks prosecution as a waste of public money

Gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has condemned his prosecution over OutRage!’s Canterbury Cathedral protest as “a violation of the right to peaceful protest and an extravagant waste of police and court resources, which has already cost Canterbury taxpayers thousands of pounds”.

“This money would be better spent on health and education, or on fighting serious crimes like murders, rapes and muggings”, said Peter Tatchell.

He has criticised the Crown Prosecution Service for “refusing to state the public interest grounds for proceeding with my case, and for going ahead with the prosecution despite the refusal of Cathedral authorities to press charges against me”.


“No Cathedral clergy or adminstrators are appearing as prosecution witnesses. All have declined to support the charges against me. Why is the prosecution going ahead if church officials are not backing it?



“This prosecution has already expended a huge amount of public resources that could be spent on fighting serious crimes. If it goes to full trial, my case will be a massive financial burden on the taxpayers of Canterbury. I doubt they want to see their money spent on a frivolous prosecution.”

Mr. Tatchell is charged with “indecent behaviour” in a church, contrary to Section 2 of the Ecclesiastical Courts Jurisdiction Act 1860 (formerly part of the Brawling Act 1551). The prosecution claims that any disruptive behaviour in a church is “indecent” under the terms of the Act.






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