Paul's launches blasphemy protest
A Buncrana man who is enraged that a blasphemy law has been introduced in Ireland says he'll walk the length and breath of the country in protest to it.
Paul Gill, originally from Manchester, but who has roots in Buncrana, plans on pounding the pavements from Mizen Head to Malin Head in a bid to generate awareness of the law he says 'criminalises people's freedom of speech'.
Mr Gill, a former social worker think it's absurd the law was introduced on January 1 last year.
Unveiling his plans to the Journal yesterday, Mr Gill said: "They are criminalising blasphemy and there is a 25,000 euro fine for so called blasphemy.
"It's criminalising freedom of speech which is absurd.
"It is dragging Ireland down to the middle ages."
Mr Gill was keen to stress his protest wasn't a religious one, it was a political one.
He said it wasn't the catholic church asking for the law to be put in process, it was politicians.
He said: "I have blasphemed and everybody I frequent with blasphemies all the time without even realising what they are saying."
The 38-year-old who in recent years has worked as an English teacher to foreign languages in Asia is being backed in his campaign by Atheism Ireland.
He's now hoping the one-of-a-kind walk will drum up enough publicity to get the law changed.
He added: "I think Ireland needs a wake up to the reality of this history and look at its priorities rather than bring in this absurd law.
"You can't be criminalised for blaspheming.
"This kind of censorship is wrong.
"People need to challenge this.I do feel strong about this issue. "
He will embark on his walk on May 5 and expects it will take him 25 days to reach Malin Head.
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Friday 24 May 2013
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