Democracy cannot exist without the right to free speech.
Free speech should be robustly defended as a fundamental freedom.
The National Secular Society has defended free speech from religious threats since our founding. We played an instrumental role in abolishing "blasphemy" laws in Britain, but serious concerns remain. Blasphemy laws still exist in Northern Ireland. And throughout the UK, religious fundamentalists seek to impose their blasphemy taboos on others through violence and intimidation.
There are also increasing attempts to categorise offending religious sensibilities as 'hate speech', making criticism, mockery or perceived 'insult' of religion a criminal act akin to racial hatred or inciting violence – in other words, a 'blasphemy law by the back door'.
Without free speech no search for truth is possible; without free speech no discovery of truth is useful; without free speech progress is checked… Better a thousand fold abuse of free speech than denial of free speech.
We are further concerned by a developing 'culture of offence' in which any speech or action deemed likely to offend religious sensibilities is considered taboo. Enforced by a toxic mix of terrorism and religious deference, this is chilling free speech through self-censorship.
We also campaign against blasphemy laws around the world, where they continue to be used to target religious and political minorities. These are sometimes described by UK politicians as 'misuse' of blasphemy laws, but we contend there are never any legitimate uses for blasphemy laws.
Being offended from time to time is the price we all pay for living in a free society. Rather than trying to silence those we disagree with, we believe the answer to speech we don't like is more speech – better speech.
We therefore campaign to protect and preserve freedom of expression, including offensive, critical and shocking speech.
What you can do
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2. Join us
Become a member of the National Secular Society today! Together, we can separate religion and state for greater freedom and fairness.
Latest updates
NSS urges cinema to reconsider after protests force cancellation of Mohammed biopic screening
Posted: Mon, 9 Nov 2015 14:12
The National Secular Society has written to a Glasgow cinema urging it to reconsider its decision to cancel the planned screening of a biopic about Mohammed, after a small petition of Muslims from the UK, Saudi Arabia and Nigeria said it was "unacceptable".
The screening of "The Message" had been planned by the Islamic Society of Britain for 15 November at the Grosvenor cinema in Glasgow, but a petition was launched criticising plans to show the film, which is about the early history of Islam and Mohammed's life, because of non-Muslim actors playing the parts of some of Mohammed's contemporaries.
The petition says it is "totally unacceptable" for non-Muslims to play the role of Mohammed's companions, and write that "just as we would not like to see images/cartoons/movies" made of Mohammed, "we also expect the honour and dignity" of Mohammed's companions "to be upheld".
Mohammed does not appear in the film, but the petitioners complain that "it is still inappropriate and disrespectful", and that the Grosvenor cinema should therefore not host it.
While the depiction of Mohammed's companions by non-Muslim actions is their "main point of concern" they also say that the film cannot be shown because it "contains other inappropriate material such as music and dancing".
In its letter to the cinema the National Secular Society say that by refusing to show the film the cinema will be "contributing to a climate of censorship brought on by the unreasonable and reactionary views of some religious extremists".
NSS campaigns manager Stephen Evans said: "It's a sad sign of the times that such a small petition has forced the venue to cancel. We hope the cinema will change its position and not allow the weapon of offense to be used to restrict its freedom as a cinema to screen films and the freedom of audiences to watch them".
There are just 94 signatories to the petition, with comments supporting it posted from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Nigeria and Mauritius.
One petitioner said "the film has to be stopped". Many others said the content of the film was "not acceptable" and "inappropriate".
Another signatory said he was "insulted by the movie". One said he had signed "so that money hungry things don't use Islam as a means of becoming filthy rich".
The cancellation of the screening has also prompted condemnation from the Islamic Society of Britain, which expressed their "regret" at the decision which say had been taken "in the face of a small number of objections".
The Society added, "As Scottish Muslims we believe in the principles of freedom of speech and have worked for decades to promote the rights of people to make Islam relevant to British society. Everyone must have the right to live by their beliefs and we must learn to tolerate differences of scholarly opinion.
"These protestors demonstrate the worst elements of our community as they are imposing their beliefs on others. We will not be bullied by these people and challenge them to make themselves known. We are also appealing for the Grosvenor to stick to the original agreement and show the film."
Defend Free Speech Campaign launched in Parliament
Posted: Fri, 30 Oct 2015 12:04
A new campaign to oppose the Government's controversial plans for Extremism Disruption Orders (EDOs) has been officially launched in Parliament.
Described as Britain's 'most unlikely campaign group', the Defend Free Speech Campaign group is supported by the National Secular Society, the Christian Institute, the Peter Tatchell Foundation, English PEN and other organisations who are concerned that legitimate freedom of expression could be criminalised under the Government's counter-extremism proposals.
Speaking at the launch at the House of Commons on Monday Keith Porteous Wood, executive director of the National Secular Society, said: "Free speech and defending it, is the most basic civil right".
He said proposals to crack down on ideas the authorities regard as extreme could be used against those who "have not broken a single law" and "had to be resisted".
The Christian Institute's Simon Calvert, campaign director of Defend Free Speech, said: "The complete absence of safeguards and any clear definition of what is deemed to be extreme will have a chilling effect on free speech and campaigners."
He said the legislation was "badly conceived and will be bad for society."
Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell commented: "Heavy-handed legal restrictions and sanctions on free speech undermine the democratic, liberal values that extremists oppose and that we cherish."
He added: "Free speech is one of the most precious of all human rights and should be defended robustly. "It can only be legitimately restricted by the law when it involves harmful libels, harassment, menaces, threats and incitements to violence."
Also speaking at the campaign's launch was David Davis MP who has criticised EDO's for "eroding basic principles of freedom without making us any safer".
He said: "Restricting free speech, and forcing those who hold views inimical to our own out of public debate and into the shadows, is an authoritarian act that will only serve to further alienate those who are susceptible to extremist views.
"Only by engaging with extremist views, opposing them and defeating them through debate can we hope to deal with the threat of extremism."
He said he lesson of centuries of British history is that the "best defence of freedom is freedom itself".
The campaign is also being supported by the Green Party's Caroline Lucas MP who warned:
"This kind of draconian crackdown lacks a credible evidence basis, represents an infringement of basic rights, and may well actually be counterproductive."
She said she would be taking "every opportunity to oppose Extremism Disruption Orders when the relevant legislation comes before the House of Commons".
The Government is expected to introduce Extremism Disruption Orders as part of a new counter-terrorism bill which will be published later this year.
The Defend Free Speech campaign reunites the same organisations that successfully campaigned together to remove the word "insulting" from Section 5 of the Public Order Act and to force the Government to scrap plans to outlaw "annoying and nuisance behaviour" in public.
Stephen Evans, National Secular Society campaigns manager, said: "It's incredible that here we all are again trying to prevent the Government from restricting people's right to freely express themselves. Extremism poses a very real threat to British citizens but existing laws prohibiting threats and incitement of violence are sufficient. Bad ideas need to be countered by better ideas, not by legislation that could be used to criminalise ordinary people and silence inconvenient, unfashionable and unpopular opinions.
"This campaign aims to ensure these ill-considered and dangerous proposals do not become law."
