Evangelist Franklin Graham scored another freedom-of-religion win across the pond this week.
A judge in Glasgow, Scotland, slapped a $111,000 verdict against a city-owned venue for canceling a Graham outreach event planned as part of his 2020 tour of the United Kingdom.
The venue discriminated against the Charlotte-based Billy Graham Evangelistic Association because of Graham’s religious beliefs, Sheriff John McCormick ruled Monday, according to a copy of the verdict obtained by The Charlotte Observer. Judges in Scotland are referred to as sheriffs.
The BBC first reported the ruling.
Graham is president and CEO of the association, which is named for his father. Charlotte-born evangelist Billy Graham died at his home in Montreat on Feb. 21, 2018, at the age of 99.
The association sued arena owner Scottish Event Campus Ltd. for the money the association put into Graham’s planned appearance.
The association and the arena agreed on terms of Graham’s appearance well before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the judge’s ruling.
In his ruling, the judge describes Graham as “a contentious American evangelist” whose comments about members of the LGBTQ community had drawn scorn. Other cities also canceled stops on Graham’s tour of Great Britain that year, the judge noted.
Regardless, people have a right to express their religious beliefs as guaranteed under the United Kingdom’s Equity Act 2010, the judge ruled.
“The concern is expressed that there is the potential for Mr. Graham to make homophobic and Islamophobic comments,” McCormick wrote in his decision. “I found no evidence to that effect.”
The judge mentioned a Facebook post by Graham where he welcomed members of the LGBTQ community to attend the free, non-ticketed event. The judge ruled that elected Glasgow officials blasted Graham for past remarks about the LGBTQ community “whilst conveniently ignoring contrary comments also made by Franklin Graham.”
Arena officials “bowed to public pressure, spurred on and whipped up by political leaders online,” the judge wrote.
In a statement to the media Thursday, Graham said he is “grateful to God for this decision,” which he called “a clear victory for freedom of speech and religion in the U.K.
“This case was never about financial remedies,” Graham said. “It was about the preservation of religious freedom in the U.K. — particularly the right for Christians to share the Gospel in the public square.”
Graham thanked the judge “for upholding the law and affirming that Christians must be treated fairly and equally. This ruling will be a great encouragement for Christians and people of all faiths across the U.K. and many other parts of the world.”
BGEA officials postponed the tour after various venues canceled what Graham said were legally-binding contracts.
In each case, the association sued to recoup its costs. On Thursday, association officials said five cases have been resolved in its favor. In their statement , officials didn’t say how much money they’ve recouped.
“We hope there will be positive resolutions for the remaining legal disputes with venues in Birmingham and Newcastle,” according to the statement by the association.
