22 February 2007
We received a petition asking:
"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Ban Halloween."
Details of petition:
"Should we be doing something to ban Halloween? Should we really be sending out our children on a dark night to knock on strangers’ doors to demand money? Although the Christian Church celebrates All Hallows Eve, Halloween has always been and continues to be a celebration of Satanic ritual, witchcraft and a salutation of black arts that promotes sending children out on a dark night, sometimes on their own. Are people that ignorant about paedophilia and often its connection with the darker side of life? It is also becoming the practice of older children to blackmail people by demanding money or face physical damage to their person or property. What kind of sad world are we living in where we celebrate the black arts by dressing our children in ghoulish costumes and send them out on a satanic festival to highjack people for material gain?"
Read the Government’s response
The Government values the rich cultural diversity of British society and is of the opinion that we should respect the right of individuals to follow their own cultural traditions, as long as they remain within the law. The Government accepts that many people choose to celebrate Halloween and would not consider it appropriate or feasible to ban such occasions. There are already laws in place which legislate against behaviour considered illegal and it would be the responsibility of the police and the judicial system to take action against such criminal activity. Anyone who feels that they have been the victim of any crime is strongly encouraged to report such incidents to the appropriate authorities.