That doesn't change the fact that PR deliberately offended ordinary church members,

So fucking what? If offending people - deliberately or otherwise - is a crime, then every stand-up comedian in the world is a criminal.

Oh, right. It's only religious people who get to demand a witch trial of anybody who offends them. My bad. Obviously the fact that they aren't used to having their beliefs questioned justifies prosecuting detractors for no sound reason.

You repeat your mantra that a church becomes public space when tourists are allowed to visit.

You mean to say that there would have been no case if they had photoshopped their performance onto stock footage of the church? Your entire argument hinges on the fact that they made a mimed performance in the actual church before adding the sound in post?

Re-read your own words: Offending the Pope is political speech, because the Pope has decided that he wants to be a political figure

Yes. Why is this difficult to understand?

The pope is treated with an irrational deference that no secular politician is granted. And as long as that's true, there is a valid political point in pointing out that, in the end, he's just a bigoted old shithead whose 18th century parochialism you wouldn't put up with if he lived across the road from you.

Oh, and he's complicit in covering up child rape. So there's that too.

- Jake

Friends come and go. Enemies accumulate.