Rushmoor Borough Council has paused legal proceedings to introduce an injunction restricting Christian street preaching, prayer, and evangelism in the town centres of Aldershot and Farnborough, following significant objections from faith leaders and local campaigners.
The Hampshire council initially sought the injunction on 7th March 2025, citing concerns about public alarm and distress. The proposed order, drafted under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, aimed to prohibit a range of activities including public prayer, singing, and the distribution of Christian literature. Breach of the injunction could have resulted in fines or up to two years in prison.
The move prompted immediate resistance from local preachers, churches. Conservative councillors Gareth Lyon and Ade Adeola were supported by the Christian Legal Centre (CLC). During a meeting at the council offices on 23rd April, local clergy, including a vicar, an Army chaplain, and leaders of independent evangelical churches, raised concerns about the impact of the proposed restrictions. Evangelist Sally McGuiness, who has preached in the area for 15 years, described the emotional burden of facing possible criminal charges and said she had received no response to her attempts to contact the council.
Critics of the injunction argued that it was overly broad and could have criminalised long-standing practices such as carol singing and handing out Christian leaflets. CLC lawyers described the measure as “unprecedented,” while community members highlighted the positive role of Christian outreach in supporting vulnerable individuals.
Council officers maintained that the injunction was intended to “strike a fair balance between the rights of all concerned” and to prevent behaviour that could cause “alarm and distress.” However, faith representatives and campaigners questioned the lack of consultation with preachers or the wider public.
Complaints cited by the council included the use of portable sound systems, as well as allegations that some preaching had created a “non-inclusive environment” for members of the community. Preachers acknowledged that on rare occasions, individuals new to street evangelism could be overzealous, but argued that offence alone should not be treated as a crime.
Following the meeting, and in light of legal support for the preachers, the council announced it would “pause” the injunction application and review its approach.
The court is yet to reschedule the hearing, and the council has indicated it intends to rewrite the proposed order after further engagement.
Navaid Sayed from The Christian Legal Centre told Premier Christian News: "This was the most draconian, the most egregious thing we have ever seen.
You could be jailed, you could be fined, you could have your assets seized."
One preacher, Jamie Broadey, said: "When I first saw the application, I thought that they must have made a mistake. I felt complete unbelief that it was saying that you can’t have religious discussions, you can’t pray or sing, and people have to come to you, you can’t go to them and share the gospel - which Christians have done freely in this country for centuries.
“However, following the meeting, it seemed that the council have taken onboard our concerns. We welcome the news that the council has withdrawn its application, but it is highly concerning that they made this attempt to criminalise the Christian faith in the first instance."