Changes

Hammond was a retired man who was in the habit of parading in the town centre with a placard inviting sinners to repent. He suffered from a type of [[autism]] making speaking with others difficult for him, so he did not actually preach. Instead he displayed a sign bearing the words, "[[Jesus Christ|Jesus]] Gives Peace, Jesus is Alive, Stop Immorality, Stop Homosexuality, Stop [[Lesbianism]], Jesus is Lord".

Hammond was a retired man who was in the habit of parading in the town centre with a placard inviting sinners to repent. He suffered from a type of [[autism]] making speaking with others difficult for him, so he did not actually preach. Instead he displayed a sign bearing the words, "[[Jesus Christ|Jesus]] Gives Peace, Jesus is Alive, Stop Immorality, Stop Homosexuality, Stop [[Lesbianism]], Jesus is Lord".

<ref>http://www.christian.org.uk/rel_liberties/cases/harry_hammond.htm</ref>   

<ref>http://www.christian.org.uk/rel_liberties/cases/harry_hammond.htm</ref>   

One Saturday afternoon in October 2001 while doing this he was assaulted by an angry crowd of 40 homosexual activists who pushed him to the ground and threw water and mud over him. There can be little doubt that this was an organized attack.  

One Saturday afternoon in October 2001 while doing this he was viciously assaulted by an angry crowd of 40 homosexual activists who pushed him to the ground and threw water and mud over him. There can be little doubt that this was an organized attack.  

Two police officers arrived at the scene; there was a disagreement as to whether they should protect him or arrest him, and eventually Hammond was arrested. However, no violent members of the crowd were arrested.<ref>http://www.christian.org.uk/rel_liberties/cases/harry_hammond.htm</ref> At the time there were complaints from homosexuals about the sign which mentioned homosexuality. They did not explain why they had not made a complaint to the police instead of lynching him without warning. Nobody had ever told Hammond that his sign might be illegal nor had he ever received a police warning.  

Two police officers arrived at the scene; there was a disagreement as to whether they should protect him or arrest him, and eventually Hammond was arrested. However, due to police corruption, none of the assailants were ever arrested or prosecuted for the assault.<ref>http://www.christian.org.uk/rel_liberties/cases/harry_hammond.htm</ref> At the time there were complaints from homosexuals about the sign which mentioned homosexuality. They did not explain why they had not made a complaint to the police instead of lynching him without warning. Nobody had ever told Hammond that his sign might be illegal nor had he ever received a police warning.  

<ref>http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3724/is_200205/ai_n9117665</ref>  

<ref>http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3724/is_200205/ai_n9117665</ref>  

Hammond was taken to a police cell where he got no treatment for his shock or injuries. He was charged and later prosecuted under the Public Order Act 1986. He was found guilty, and ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £695 (about $1,000).  <ref>https://www.firstthings.com/article/2012/12/englands-repressive-tolerance</ref> Such a sum of money for a man living on an old age pension was huge and represented long-term hardship. Immediately after his conviction, he collapsed, was taken to hospital, and died shortly thereafter. <ref>http://www.christian.org.uk/rel_liberties/cases/harry_hammond.htm</ref> Despite a posthumous court appeal stating that had the right to freedom of religion and the freedom to express his beliefs, it was ruled that Hammond had acted unreasonably in holding up a sign he knew to be offensive. A further appeal to the [[European Court of Human Rights]] was also dismissed.<ref>http://www.christian.org.uk/rel_liberties/cases/harry_hammond.htm</ref>

Hammond was taken to a police cell where he got no treatment for his shock or injuries. He was unjustly charged and prosecuted under the Public Order Act 1986. He was found guilty, and ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £695 (about $1,000).  <ref>https://www.firstthings.com/article/2012/12/englands-repressive-tolerance</ref> Such a sum of money for a man living on an old age pension was huge and represented long-term hardship. Immediately after his conviction, he collapsed, was taken to hospital, and died shortly thereafter. <ref>http://www.christian.org.uk/rel_liberties/cases/harry_hammond.htm</ref> Despite a posthumous court appeal stating that had the right to freedom of religion and the freedom to express his beliefs, it was ruled by the court that Hammond had "acted unreasonably" in holding up a sign it claimed he knew to be "offensive". A further appeal to the [[European Court of Human Rights]] was also dismissed.<ref>http://www.christian.org.uk/rel_liberties/cases/harry_hammond.htm</ref>

<ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/9798039/Christians-rights-Martyred-on-a-cross-of-secular-liberalism.html</ref>

<ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/9798039/Christians-rights-Martyred-on-a-cross-of-secular-liberalism.html</ref>

==References==

==References==

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hammond, Harry}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hammond, Harry}}

[[Category:Christians]]

[[Category:Christians]]

[[Category:Homosexuality and Religious Liberty]]

[[Category:Homosexuality and Religious Liberty]]

[[Category:England]]

[[Category:England]]