Observations on free speech by Brendan O'Neill

Saturday's March for Free Expression might not have been the biggest demo London has seen, but it was certainly one of the more peculiar.

Roughly 300 protesters colonised a corner of Trafalgar Square to defend free speech (in the three other corners it was tourism and pigeons as usual). Secularists rubbed shoulders with Muslims; radical queers stood alongside mild-mannered Lib Dems; anti-war people lined up with supporters of the Iraq war - including a bloke wearing a Stetson, perhaps in tribute to Dubbya, who shouted "Shut up!" whenever one of the speakers said something critical about Iraq. There were left-wingers, libertarians and even radical Islamists, all united, apparently, by a belief in free expression.

This mixing of hues, from red to blue, with a dash of green (Peter Tatchell) and yellow (Lib Dem MP Evan Harris), mirrored the origins of the rally, which began as a blog set up by a right-leaning libertarian, Peter Risdon, and a socialist, Patrick Vidaud. They launched it after the Danish cartoons controversy, arguing that "the free exchange of ideas depends on freedom of expression and this includes the right to criticise and mock". At one stage they attracted BNP support, which prompted some tortured debate.

For the organisers, the mixed-bag nature of the demo was an expression of diversity. Maybe. It also meant disagreement, even confusion, about the greatest threats to free speech. Harris, the star speaker, announced that this was not a rally for free-speech absolutists. Free speech, he said, does not mean having the right to offend others. That came as news to some. "Free speech, by its very definition, is an absolute," said Max, a "thirtysomething humanist". "If there are limits, especially limits set by a politician, then it is no longer free speech, it is something else."

Some argued that religious fundamentalists are undermining freedom. "Criticise Muhammad and some radical Muslims will threaten to behead you," s aid an elderly man carrying a placard that read "All religion is anti-human". Others said the government was the main enemy of free expression, accusing Tony Blair of whipping up fears to silence criticism of his foreign policy.

The rally also highlighted the danger of handing the authorities the right to decide what is acceptable speech. In an otherwise stirring address, Tatchell called on the Metropolitan Police chief Ian Blair to protect people from the intimidation of religious fundamentalists. Five minutes later it was announced, to loud booing, that the police had confiscated a banner that criticised Islam's treatment of women, illustrated with some of those Danish cartoons. Perhaps the police were protecting Muslims from the presumed intimidation of secularists. The problem is if you give the police an inch of authority on free speech, they will take a mile of liberties.

At a time when the government offers to cover our ears lest we hear anything shocking, it was heartening to see people wanting to be treated as adults. But this was more a reaction to recent events than the start of a fightback against the erosion of freedom under new Labour.

Brendan O'Neill is deputy editor of Spiked (www.spiked-online.com)

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