IT WAS with incredulity that I witnessed the reporting of so many world leaders joining a rally in supposed support for the free speech expressed by Charlie Hebdo, when so many of them, including David Cameron, represent states where speech is anything but free.

Remember the youth arrested for asking a policeman if his horse was gay?

The Blasphemy Act was quite rightly rescinded in the UK, but we are now subjected to the even more pernicious Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 which makes it an offence for a person to use “threatening words or behaviour... with the intention of stirring up hatred”, the definition of which can cover virtually any criticism of a religion.

Another notable leader, Pope Francis, who, despite all his noble words seems decidedly inactive when it comes to improving the record of the Catholic Church, claimed to support free speech before adding: “If a friend says a curse word against my mother, he can expect a punch. It’s normal. You cannot provoke. You cannot insult the faith of others.”

Is there such a big gap between Pope Francis and the Charlie Hebdo assassins when it comes to dealing with criticisms?

Martin Henderson, The Link, Copmanthorpe, York.