Reform Section 5

Who should decide whether words, posters or ideas are insulting? It might surprise you to know that under Section 5 of the Public Order Act, the police and the courts can decide if you or someone else might feel insulted.

The Christian Institute is working with the National Secular Society, the Peter Tatchell Foundation, and other groups to improve the law on free speech by reforming Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986.

Section 5 outlaws, amongst other things, "insulting" words and behaviour. Insults are not nice, but who decides what’s an insult? Should the police? We believe Section 5 is having a chilling effect on free speech. A campaign group, Reform Section 5, is calling for the word "insulting" to be removed from Section 5.

The Christian Institute is an official partner of the Reform Section 5 campaign. You can learn more about the campaign by visiting its website, or viewing the video (below) featuring the Rt Hon David Davis MP.