BHA statement at Rally to Defend Free Expression

This Saturday saw the Rally to Defend Free Expression take place outside Parliament. The rally was organised by One Law for All in response to recent events at UCL, Queen Mary and LSE and the British Humanist Association (BHA) was one of the rally’s supporters.

Chris Moos, President of LSESU Atheist, Secularist, and Humanist Society, which the BHA is supporting in their ongoing dispute with LSE Student Union, read out a statement from BHA Chief Executive Andrew Copson:

We’ve been pleased to support our affiliate societies at UCL, Queen Mary and LSE throughout their various and different actions in defence of their right to free expression.

Student Unions need to understand that the simple giving of offence can never be deemed tantamount to intimidation or harassment of religious students. The freedom to criticise all sorts of beliefs and hold them open to satire as well as intellectual critique is a vital generator of intellectual progress – something which universities should safeguard.

Free expression, the free exchange of ideas and free debate are hallmarks of an open society; violence and the threat of violence should never be allowed to compromise that.

A recording of the event is available on the Pod Delusion website.

Notes

For further comment or information, please contact Andrew Copson on 07855 380 633.

The British Humanist Association is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people who seek to live ethical and fulfilling lives on the basis of reason and humanity. It promotes a secular state and equal treatment in law and policy of everyone, regardless of religion or belief.

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