Colchester church appeals over ban on 'intimidating' preaching

An evangelical church is appealing against an order preventing "intimidating behaviour" during street preaching after members allegedly told people they were going to hell. The Bread of Life Community Church in Colchester was issued with a Community Protection Notice (CPN) in March, and breaching the order is a criminal offence. The CPN also bans the church from using loudspeakers when addressing shoppers. The order represented the "first attempt by a local authority to control the speech" of a group, lawyers for the church told Colchester Magistrates' Court on Friday. Further appeal hearings will take place later this year. The CPN was issued by the Safer Colchester Partnership, which is run by Colchester City Council. Pastor Stephen Clayden, who establishes and oversees all outreach activity, strongly denies that he or any member of his team has acted unlawfully, according to the campaign group Christian Concern. Michael Phillips, for appellants Bread of Life Community Church, told the court that the CPN "imposed a number of requirements". He said these included "to stop using amplification or loudspeakers" and to "stop intimidating behaviour". "This was preaching which took plac