A 15-year-old in the UK is facing prosecution for using the word “cult” to describe the Church of Scientology at an anti-Scientology demonstration in London earlier this month.

When he arrived at the demonstration, the teenager was told by a member of the City of London police that he was not allowed to use the word “cult”. A policewoman later read him section five of the Public Order act, which “prohibits signs which have representations or words which are threatening, abusive or insulting,” and “strongly advised” him to remove the sign.

The teenager refused to back down, quoting a 1984 high court ruling from Mr Justice Latey, in which he described the Church of Scientology as a “cult” which was “corrupt, sinister and dangerous”.

After the exchange, a policewoman handed him a court summons and removed his sign.

Someone at Slashdot has found a video of the teenager receiving the summons (starting at 57 seconds). He is now looking for advice on how to handle the case.

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