High Court rules Boris Johnson’s decision to ban ‘Not Gay’ Christian group posters was lawful
A High Court has today ruled that a decision taken by Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, to ban a bus ad campaign which suggested that gay people could be ‘cured’ through therapy, was lawful.
The campaign for the Christian group was supposed to be launch in April 2012, was pulled by Johnson before it ran, with its ‘offensive nature’ being blamed.
The posters, by Core Issues Trust, read; "Not gay! Post-gay, ex-gay and proud. Get over it!" and mimicked an earlier campaign by Stonewall which supported gay marriage and said "Some people are gay. Get over it!"
Lawyers for the Christian group suggested the banning was a breach of human rights under articles nine and ten of the Human Rights Act.
Justice Lang ruled that while the banning of the campaign by Transport for London was ‘in breach of its own procedures’, the ads could ‘cause grave offence’ and lead to an increased risk of prejudice and homophobic attacks.
However, she did give Core Issues Trust permission to go to the Court of Appeal, saying the case "concerns interference with the right to freedom of expression which is a matter of such fundamental importance that it merits consideration by the appellant court."