LONDON – After protests outside the Houses of Parliament, British lawmakers this week watered down a bill banning religious hate speech, then narrowly voted it into law.
Prime Minister Tony Blair wanted to make it a criminal offense to incite religious hatred through threatening words or actions, insults and abuse.
Britain’s upper chamber Tuesday eliminated the ban on insults and abuse, and inserted a provision allowing proselytizing, discussion, criticism, and ridicule of religion, belief or religious practice.
The bill is likely to become law in around 12 months.
Hundreds of people had demonstrated against the proposal outside the Houses of Parliament, saying it would curtail freedom of speech. Opponents included Rowan Atkinson, a comedian who claimed the law would infringe on artistic expression. Supporters said religious groups should have the same protection as racial groups, which are already covered by a similar law.
Home Secretary Charles Clarke said the government accepted the changes.
“No one secure in their religious beliefs need fear laughter,” said Rabbi Jonathan Romain, an opponent of the legislation and spokesman for the Movement for Reform Judaism.
Mohammed Sarwar, the first Muslim lawmaker elected to Britain’s parliament, said the result would disappoint those of all faiths.
“It would have been beneficial not only to Muslims but to those of other faiths and of none. It is very unfortunate,” he said.
Dominic Grieve, a senior lawmaker from the opposition Conservative party, said the original proposals for the new law were “contrary to our national tradition of free speech.”
Shami Chakrabarti, director of the civil rights watchdog group Liberty, said she took “great heart as Parliament stands up for our rights and freedoms once more.”
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