Belfast Council abhors Vacuum

Slugger O’Toole blogs a story which has, up to now, passed under MWW’s radar. The Vacuum, a monthly free paper distributed in the cafes, libraries, cinemas and galleries of Belfast, has turned the tables on the would-be censors in Belfast City Council by taking them to the High Court.
the vacuum
The culture magazine published God and Satan themed issues in June 2004, prompting Christians on the Council to accuse it of “encouraging Devil worshipping”. They demanded that the magazine “provide an apology for any offence which may have been caused to Members of the Council and the citizens of the City by previous publications and provides an assurance that future publications will meet such criteria as may be established by the Council”. If the apology was not forthcoming, then funding would be withdrawn.

In December The Vacuum organised a “Sorry Day“, which featured a Sorry double decker bus distributing Sorry Vacuums and playing Sorry music.

Not content with merely ridiculing the authorities, one of the magazines editors, Richard West, has taken the further step of legal action, charging that the Council violated the magazine’s Freedom of Expression as guaranteed by the European Convention of Human Rights. The potentially landmark legal case will take place at Belfast High Court next Tuesday 13th Sept.

MWW will be keeping a close eye on the case. We hope The Vacuum cleans up.


4 Responses to “Belfast Council abhors Vacuum

  1. G. Tingey says:

    Smash every crucifix in Ireland?

    ( And everywhere else, whist we are at it…)

  2. Stuart says:

    More power to their elbow!
    Belfast seems to breed a type of journalist who replies to lunacy with good humour. Wish we had more elsewhere. I think it’s got something to do with the feeling that if you’re doomed to eventual failure, you might as well have a laugh.
    I remember the publisher of one small magazine there quipping years ago that he knew his political coverage was balanced because both the UVF and the IRA (as well as the RUC) had smashed his press up!

  3. Joe says:

    The review has been postponed for a month as there was no judge available to hear the case! Full story at http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=661425