UK-based rights organisation Christian Concern has launched a petition calling for the Home Secretary Sajid Javid to launch an investigation into the training police are given to ensue they protect freedom of speech following the arrest of a street preacher in London last month.
A still from the video showing Oluwole Ilesanmi’s arrest.
Oluwole Ilesanmi was arrested on 23rd February outside Southgate Underground Station after complaints were made to police. Police reportedly confiscated his Bible, handcuffed him and took him away before later releasing him without charge. Police have said the arrest took place after a phone call was made complaining that Ilesanmi was making Islamaphobic statements.
A video of his arrest, published on Twitter, has been watched more than 2.4 million times.
Christian Concern said it was “concerned about the actions of some police officers” in arresting street preachers and was now calling on the UK’s Home Secretary to “launch an urgent review to ensure that the police are trained to act within the law”.
“Christian street preachers should be free to share the Gospel, even where it means challenging the beliefs of others,” the organisation said in a letter to the Home Secretary.
“The law rightly protects freedom of speech, even if it offends, shocks or disturbs others. But too often, police officers have shown themselves either to be ignorant of this freedom, or unwilling to uphold it. This leads to a chilling effect, where people are increasingly unwilling to say what they believe, for fear of arrest.”
