Gay Pride protestor quizzed by police

Norwich lady Pauline Howe who wrote a letter complaining about the Norwich Gay Pride march and had a visit from the police.

A Norfolk grandmother was questioned by police after writing a letter objecting to a Gay Pride Parade in Norwich which she said was a “public display of indecency” and “offensive to God”.

Pauline Howe, 67, wrote to the chief executive of the city council following a peaceful protest of Christians at the Gay Pride Parade in July, during which she says she was on the receiving end of verbal abuse of an explicit sexual nature.

“People came up and whispered it in my ear and were gone. It was only when I thought about what was said afterwards that I realised how bad it was,” Mrs Howe, from Poringland, says in a message posted on the video sharing site Youtube by the religious group The Christian Institute.

The letter sent to the council, in which she also blamed gay sexual practices for spreading sexually transmitted diseases, was deemed as potentially “hate related” by staff who have a duty to “eliminate discrimination” of all kinds.

As a result she was visited at home by two female officers from Norfolk police but after questioning no further action was taken.

“We're not allowed to express our Biblical, evangelical beliefs anymore without being frightened,” she said.

The Christian Institute 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.

Although contacted by the EDP, Mrs Howe's husband said they did not wish to comment further.

Katy-Jon Went, a member of the Norwich Pride collective and a steward on the day of the parade, said: “I willingly chatted with the Christians and told them I was a Christian as well as being transgender. I've been a Bible teacher and a missionary and I still see myself as a Christian.

“While her comments are not defamatory they are certainly inflammatory. I think it is quite hypocritical for her to say her freedom of speech has been jeopardised when she was writing to say we should not have been allowed the parade.”

Nick O'Brien, chairman of Norwich Pride, which is organised by a collective of volunteers from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) community, said: “The first Norwich Pride was a wonderful, inclusive celebration and we were so very proud of the thousands of Norwich citizens and their friends and family who came to show their support for the LGBT community. We'd like to thank all the organisations who put on events for Norwich Pride, including St John the Baptist Church on Timberhill who held a very moving Interfaith service.

“We're sorry to hear about Mrs Howe's complaint and feel that her comments show why Pride events are needed - to help fight prejudice and increase understanding.”

A Norfolk Constabulary spokesman said: “We investigate all alleged hate incidents. In this instance the individual concerned was visited by officers, the comments discussed and no further action was taken.”