The Brendan O'Neill Show

Europe’s free-speech emergency, with Paul Coleman

24 snips
Nov 7, 2025
In this engaging conversation, Paul Coleman, executive director of ADF International and author of Censored, dives into Europe's alarming free-speech crisis. He discusses Britain's alarming shift toward censorship and the chilling ramifications of the Paivi Rasanen case, where quoting the Bible became criminalized. Coleman highlights the rising influence of vague hate-speech laws and how they threaten religious expression. He also explores geopolitical tensions over online speech regulation, emphasizing the urgent need for reform to protect free speech across Europe.
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INSIGHT

Free Speech At A Historical Low

  • Paul Coleman argues freedom of speech in Europe is at its worst and each day sets a new low in law and culture.
  • He notes growing public awareness may spark a pendulum swing back toward free speech.
ANECDOTE

The Rasanen Heresy‑Style Prosecution

  • Paul Coleman recounts Paivi Rasanen's six-and-a-half year legal ordeal over a Bible quotation and a 2019 tweet.
  • She faced 13 hours of police questioning, four criminal charges, and appeals up to Finland's Supreme Court.
INSIGHT

Targeting High‑Profile Cases Creates Chills

  • Coleman explains prosecutors target high‑profile figures to create chilling effects and widespread self‑censorship.
  • He calls this a deliberate feature of hate speech enforcement, not mere accident.
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