Sydney street preacher Mike McCarthy has been confronted by two police officers and five security guards on the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House.
They were most concerned about the sign he was carrying.
It was a defining quote from the Bible:
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. There is no other way to the father but by me. John 14:6, it read.
Mr McCarthy had the incident recorded and posted the 12-minute clip of the confrontation on his YouTube channel ‘Mike with a mic’.
It shows police urging him to move away from the area as he was allegedly violating Opera House by-laws by carrying his sign.
WHAT WAS SAID IN THE CONFRONTATION
The Daily Mail transcribed the conversation:
“[Security] have given you just a simple request to leave the sign over there. They do have by-laws here, governing this area,” one officer said.
“You’ve refused to comply with them and you’ve also failed to stop to speak with the security guard.”
“Now since then, they’ve asked you multiple times, and as I understand, because I have dealt with him in the past, they’ve tried to be reasonable with you.”
Mr McCarthy asked the officer to explain what he has done wrong and which laws he had violated.
“TELL ME WHAT I’M DOING WRONG OR I’M NOT GOING ANYWHERE”
“You’re going to have to tell me what I’m doing wrong or I’m not going anywhere,’ he said.
“This is Australia. The Constitution of Australia says I can preach religion anywhere within Australia.”
“That’s all I’m doing, and I’m not even doing that. I’m just walking around.”
By-laws governing the Opera House’s premises prohibit a person from distributing or displaying “by oral, visual written, electronic or other means, an advertisement, sign, bill, poster or other promotional material.”
“IF I CAN’T CARRY THIS SIGN IN AUSTRALIA, THERE IS A PROBLEM”
“I’m not interested in by-laws. I’m interested in being free,” Mr McCarthy responded.
“What are you going to do? Are you going to arrest me?”
The officer replied: “I don’t want to. I’m just asking you to leave.”
Mr McCarthy argued: “On principle I’m not going to leave, because I’m an Australian citizen.”
“If I can’t walk anywhere in Australia with this sign, there is a problem.”
But he did leave with his sign.
“A 72-YEAR-OLD GUY WITH A SIGN HAS GOT TO BE A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER”
He later told Nine Radio’s Ben Fordham: “I wasn’t trying to be difficult, I was just sticking up for my rights and I believe we all should,’ he said.
The preacher cited the Australian Constitution section 116, outlining the freedom of religion and stipulating that the Commonwealth is prohibited from making laws which prohibit the free exercise of religion.
He believed the by-laws do not apply, as section 109 of the constitution stipulates federal law prevails when a conflict arises between federal and state government laws.
Mike said he wasn’t shocked that security had called the police, as it ‘happens to us frequently’.
“A 72-year-old guy with a sign has got to be a clear and present danger, so we got to shut him down. It’s just ridiculous.”
SUPPORT FOR MIKE THE PREACHER ON SOCIAL MEDIA
“I walk around with this sign everyday. We go everyday out on the street and preach the word of God. We pray with people. That’s all we do.”
“I’m not contravening any law that I can see. I’m not stirring up people, I’m not creating havoc, I have no loud speaker. I just had a sign in my hand.”
Social media users backed Mr McCarthy, with many questioning why police had stopped him, but did nothing to stop a large crowd protesting against Israel’s war in Gaza in the same place in 2023.
Protesters, many carrying signs, gathered outside the Opera House when it was going to be lit-up in support of Israel following the Hamas attack on the Jewish state.
“This man has every right to display his sign and is covered by his and everyone’s right to religious expression and freedoms.”
“When you impinge on his rights, you are the one breaking the law,’ one wrote.
A second chimed in: ‘What happened to freedom of expression?
‘Everyone should go to the Opera House and hold a sign saying: “We have the right of freedom of expression”.
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