Road to the cross? Use the pavement instead!

I see that Brent Council, that great bastion of all that brings the odd raised eyebrow and the resigned sigh has once again managed to makes the news. This time, council officials have banned the annual Good Friday 'walk of witness'.

No, they don't want them to do an 'Earth Day' procession (although I would be this would be more favourably treated) like the Episcopalian Church are advocating in places, but are concerned with the 'health and safety' aspects of the event and so have forbidden them to walk on the road, pushing the event onto the pavement (surely that's a health and safety risk?).

Knowing the area and the community I know of various marches and parades, none of which have been pushed onto the pavement, but then again, none of them were Christian (unless you count St Pat's Day)! Diwali is splendid in Brent's area, there are parades and the like and there's never been a question about them happening. This is where we need to be able to point to other groups public acts of witness and celebration and tell Brent where to go. we don't want special treatment, we just want to be treated the same as everyone else.

Thankfully, the MP for Brent Central, Sarah Teather, has taken up the cry to let this event take place:

"It is important that the Good Friday procession is allowed to take place on the roads. Brent is a multicultural area. The turnout at the annual St Patrick’s Day parade shows that many people appreciate the celebrations of cultures other than their own. I have written to Brent Council asking them to reconsider their decision to make the Good Friday procession take place on the pavement. This provision is not only impractical, but also does not allow the people of Brent to fully enjoy the event.”

Then again, perhaps we need to drop Good Friday and engage in Earth Day instead, wouldn't be a problem then, would there?

Happy Sunday