{"id":66736,"date":"2026-02-13T14:27:54","date_gmt":"2026-02-13T14:27:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shefnews.co.uk\/?p=66736"},"modified":"2026-02-13T14:37:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T14:37:28","slug":"rival-petitions-over-claims-of-noisy-street-preachers-in-sheffield-city-centre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shefnews.co.uk\/index.php\/2026\/02\/13\/rival-petitions-over-claims-of-noisy-street-preachers-in-sheffield-city-centre\/","title":{"rendered":"Rival petitions over claims of noisy street preachers in Sheffield City Centre"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>An e-petition suggests Sheffield residents are frustrated with amplified street preaching and music in the city centre, calling the council to \u201cconsider the impacts on the mental health of people working in the area\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u200bThe petition outlines that it is not concerned with preaching in general, but rather with the specific use of amplifiers. The issue has sparked debate over noise levels and freedom of expression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alex McLean, who started the petition, said: \u201cI have to walk down (the Moor) to get to work, but when the preachers are full blast, it isn\u2019t somewhere I\u2019d choose to relax\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mr McLean believes the problem has worsened over the last six months: \u200b\u201cIt just seems odd to be preaching to no one and then amplify yourself louder so passers by steer clear even more to avoid hearing damage!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u200bLiberal Democrat Councillor Robert Reiss shared concern that amplified street preaching prevents the city centre from being a space for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u200bCoun Reiss said: \u201cStreet preachers can make the city centre a very intimidating place for a range of people. Hateful language that targets minority groups or members of the LGBTQ+ community, being spouted in a public space, is unacceptable\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u200bCoun Reiss mentioned that excessive amplification can cause \u201canxiety\u201d and be \u201cdisorientating\u201d &nbsp;for neurodivergents and people with PTSD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"714\" src=\"https:\/\/shefnews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8970-1-1-1024x714.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-66818\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shefnews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8970-1-1-980x684.jpg 980w, https:\/\/shefnews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8970-1-1-480x335.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u200bLabour Councillor Laura Moynahan wanted to emphasise that it is not just preachers that are the issue, but music too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She said: \u201cThe problem is not necessarily the activity itself, but the levels of amplification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u200b\u201cThe levels and competing noise on the Moor are excessive. Shop workers told me that it&#8217;s awful\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One woman in her 30s who works on the Moor, who did not wish to be named, said: &#8220;It gives me a headache sometimes. It makes you want to go home when it&#8217;s bad&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u200bA counter-petition has been started by Wayne Walton (UNITY UK): \u2018Protect Peaceful Public Expression in Sheffield &#8211; Fair Rules for Amplified Street Preaching\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It requests that the council pause any new Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) changes or enforcement practices that would criminalise peaceful religious outreach until a joint multi-stakeholder review is completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Coun Reiss said: \u201cI trust the relevant council committee to come to a sensitive position on street preaching and amplification, though I will happily speak out if I think the public\u2019s right to hold peaceful demonstration is being curtailed\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are fears amplified noise in Sheffield city centre has become a public nuisance. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":830,"featured_media":66784,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17,415,43,21,82],"tags":[231,57,38,141,131],"class_list":["post-66736","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-charity","category-community","category-culture","category-news","category-top-story","tag-community","tag-crime","tag-sheffield","tag-sheffield-city-council","tag-south-yorkshire"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - 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