Opinion: “Thank God for Dead Soldiers” vs. “British soldiers go to hell” – Adam Wagner

Snyder v. Phelps (09-751), 2 March 2011, United States Supreme Court.

A recent decision of the United States Supreme Court, in which it upheld the rights of a radical anti-gay Christian group to protest at military funerals, provides a useful opportunity to compare free speech protections here to those provided over the pond.

By way of comparison, five men recently failed in a challenge to their public order criminal convictions for protesting with similar signs at a homecoming parade for British soldiers. What does this say about our respective free speech protections?

Case Law: Allen v Grimsby Telegraph – a misconceived application for an anonymity order

The claimant was a convicted sex offender.  On 20 April 2010 the Chief Constable of Humberside Police made an application for a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (“SOPO”) against him.  On 28 April 2010, the District Judge had made an order under section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 banning publication of the claimant’s address but made no order in relation to his name.   The SOPO was made at a hearing on 8 November 2010.  An order was sought banning the publication of the claimant’s name.