Pauline Howe, a 67-year-old grandmother, was questioned by police after council officials decided that her complaint about a gay pride march amounted to a “hate incident”.
By Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Religious Affairs Correspondent
Mrs Howe, a committed Christian, said she had been frightened by the officers’ questioning and shocked at being informed she may have committed a crime.
“I’ve never been in any kind of trouble before so I was stunned to have two police officers knocking at my door,” she said.
“Their presence in my home made me feel threatened. It was a very unpleasant experience.”
Christian campaigners condemned the police action as “alarming” and warned that freedom of expression was under threat, while the homosexual equality group Stonewall said the officers’ visit had been “disproportionate”.
The pensioner had written to Norwich council complaining about its decision to allow the march in the city centre in July, at which she claims she was verbally abused.
In the letter, she wrote: “It is shameful that this small, but vociferous lobby should be allowed such a display unwarranted by the minimal number of homosexuals.”
Mrs Howe referred to homosexuals as “sodomites” and blamed “their perverted sexual practice” for sexually transmitting diseases as well as the “downfall of every Empire”.
She argues that she is not homophobic, but was expressing her deeply held religious beliefs.
However, Bridget Buttinger, deputy chief executive at the council, replied to Mrs Howe in September, warning that she could face being charged with a criminal offence for expressing such views.
“As a local authority we have a duty along with other public bodies to eliminate discrimination of all kinds,” she wrote.
“A hate incident is any incident that is perceived by the victim or any other person as being motivated by prejudice or hatred. A hate crime is any hate incident that constitutes a criminal offence.
“The content of your letter has been assessed as potentially being hate related because of the views you expressed towards people of a certain sexual orientation.”
She added: “Your details and details of the content of your letter have been recorded as such and passed to the Police.”
The officers from Norfolk constabulary who questioned Mrs Howe in her home told her that her opinions were regarded as a hate incident and had caused offence. However, they decided that no crime had been committed.
A spokesman for the force defended the decision to send officers to Mrs Howe’s home.
“If it has come into our intelligence and been reported to us as a crime then we have to investigate,” he said.
“Therefore it was part of a routine check-up. We went around and spoke to the individual.
“We talked about inappropriate comments and the effects they can have on people. We believe that this response is proportionate and the individual is aware of her actions.”
Ben Summerskill, chief executive of Stonewall, criticised the police’s action. “Clearly her views are pretty offensive, but nevertheless this is disproportionate. I’m glad Norfolk police didn’t take it any further,” he said.
Mrs Howe has sought advice from the Christian Institute, which is investigating whether the council and the police have breached Mrs Howe’s rights to free speech and religious liberty under the Human Rights Act.
Mike Judge, a spokesman for the Institute, said: “Whether people agree or disagree with Mrs Howe’s views, everyone who cares about freedom should be alarmed at the police action.
“For democracy to survive people must be free to express their beliefs – yes, even unpopular beliefs – to government bodies without fear of a knock at the door from the police. It’s not a crime to be a Christian, but it increasingly feels like it.”
In a similar case, a retired couple won damages in 2006 after being questioned by police regarding their views on homosexuality.
Wyre Borough Council regarded some of the wording in a letter of complaint as inappropriate and decided to consult with the police, who interviewed the couple but took no further action.
FURTHER INTERNET LINK TO THIS STORY
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Video: police quiz Christian pensioner over gay beliefs
‘Hate crime’ grandmother considers suing
Christian woman may sue after police investigate ‘gay hate crime’ letter
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Tags: News
October 25th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
Do the Police not have anything better to do…..like catching real criminals.l
What happened to free speech in this country of ours?
Norwich Town Couuncil should be ashamed of themselves for calling in the Police, and wasting police time.
I think Mrs Howe should seek Legal Advice and sue The Council…..and then give the money to her favourite charity.
Time NTC and the local police used some common sense……..something that seems to be lacking.
October 26th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
If the news paper reports are to be believed, I think Mrs Howe brought the situation on herself..
why was she attending a rally giving out leaflets that directly oppose the views of others attending..
surely she knew her actions would not be greated warmly..
in my opinion this is no different to gay campaigners leafleting outside a church..
November 5th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
This full story is not Pauline Howes Fault, as she was only trying to tell her Local Council that she had been attacked with a abrouce and she has the right to Freedom of Speech as a Christian.
Let me tell you that I was the organiser of this peacefull protest, with help from a Refomed church and Christian watch. And I call on the Gay activists to a full debate live on Anglia TV or Look East TV. Mrs Howe was only standing up for her Christian values and her protestant faith as a Christian.
In the Bible it clearly says that it is a Sin for two men or two Women to live or sleep together and Homesexuality is not from God but from Man. God Love Sinner but hates Sin. So i challange the Gay Organisations to a live debate and see who is right.
I may be contacted via email. May God give us as Christians the strength to stand up against Satan.
November 18th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
I beleive that it was correct for the police to investigate Mrs Howes letter as a hate crime. Regardless of what religious beliefs people hold one thing that all religions preach is that you should respect fellow human beings and not to promote hatered. Christians can come in all colours, abilities, ethnic cultures and dare I say it SEXUALITIES!!! If what Mrs Howe experienced at the Gay Pride march is correct then it should have been delt with as an incident between herself and the other individual involved. One person who attended the march can not represent the lgbt community as a whole and therefore this should not have been directly linked to the fact that this person may or may not have been LGBT. With this said I would have hoped that any responce to this incident from Mrs Howe, who seems to be a very well educated lady, would have beed thaught through a little more before she wrote her letter. As this was not the case I can only say that from my point of view it was indeed a very targeted and hateful letter about her views of the LGBT community. In this day in age no one would tolerate a hateful letter with regards to race, ethnicity or disability would they? So why should the LGBT community still have to go through this disscrimination? Love is love regardless of who you happen to fall in love with. In a perfect world the LGBT community wouldn’t need to still have these pride marches because in the perfect world people won’t have issues with it, unfortunatly until people like Mrs Howe accept this and understand that who people happen to love does not neccessarily directly effect herself in any way shape or form but at the same time LGBT people live with the same legal rights and respect that hetrosexual people have, the pride marches will continue to celebrate the diversities of the LGBT communtiy and the people who also respect basic human rights. If she does not respect this, then maybe its best if she stayed away next year?
December 7th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
What happened to freedom of speech? When this country used to take God’s Word seriously, Britain was blessed, but now, as the world is trying to silence God’s Word, we are seeing God’s punishment on the nation. Sin is sin is sin, and is an affront to the Almighty. It is my hope and prayer that those involved in all this will come to repentance before the throne of grace.
As far as hatred is concerned, would it be hatred to warn someone who was about to fall down a ravine, or in any other way endanger their lives? Similarly, it cannot be hatred that drives a Christian to warn people that there is a God and to explain His standards.
It appears that Alex doesn’t understand what love truly is. It is not Hatred, nor discrimination that drove Mrs Howe, but love, firstly for God’s standards, then for her fellow neighbour, just as the Scriptures teach.