Inconvenient opinion?

We've become familiar with the claim that freedom of expression ought sometimes to be limited in order to avoid giving offence to people who are inclined to take offence. As poor as that is as a justification for any restriction, the New South Wales state government has contrived to go a step beyond it. Powers are to be given to police in Sydney to arrest and fine those who annoy or inconvenience participants in World Youth Day, when Pope Benedict XVI will visit the city. The plea by Deputy Premier John Watkins that this is 'about providing for the safety and comfort of people attending the event' is hardly convincing. In the normal run of things, you don't jeopardize a person's safety merely by annoying them. An inconvenience can, of course, disturb someone's comfort, but if the inconvenience is caused by an opinion, that's a discomfort everyone has, from time to time, to endure. (Thanks: CL.)