How much has Britain deteriorated as a free society? This much: a Christian preacher from Nigeria, Oluwole Ilesanmi, discovered several months ago in London that preaching Christianity in public was “racist” and “Islamophobic,” because it offended Muslims. And London’s Muslim mayor Sadiq Khan defended the arrest of Ilesanmi, saying that “there are limitations” on the freedom of speech.
Now Ilesanmi has been awarded $2,786 for wrongful arrest. That is good news, but it is nonetheless still clear in what direction Britain is heading. Would a Muslim preacher have ever been arrested and charged with “racism” for preaching Islam to Christians? Of course not.
“Police arrest preacher, 64, and grab his Bible… for promoting Christianity: Pastor accused of hate speech for ‘racist’ comments about Islam wins £2,500 payout from Scotland Yard,” by Ben Ellery, Mail on Sunday, July 27, 2019:
A Christian street preacher who had his Bible wrested from him as he was handcuffed and taken away by police has been awarded £2,500 for wrongful arrest.
Oluwole Ilesanmi, 64, has welcomed the payout by the Metropolitan Police as a victory for freedom of speech after he had been wrongly accused of Islamophobia.
The former dentist was preaching outside Southgate Tube station in North London in February when he was approached by two officers.
A passer-by had earlier called police and accused Mr Ilesanmi of hate speech.
He admits to having described Islam as an ‘aberration’ but insists he was simply expressing his point of view as a Christian rather than denigrating Muslims.
One of the police officers claimed Mr Ilesanmi was disturbing the peace, saying: ‘No one wants to hear that. They want you to go away.’
A video of the incident taken by a passer-by shows the policeman taking the Bible away, to Mr Ilesanmi’s visible distress.
One of the officers then says: ‘You should’ve thought about that before being racist.’
He was handcuffed before the officer gave a thumbs-up to the camera. Mr Ilesanmi was then bundled into a police car and driven several miles away. There the grandfather was ‘de-arrested’ and let out of the car.
However, he was not carrying any money and it was only thanks to the kindness of a stranger who gave him the necessary bus fare that he was able to get back.
Scotland Yard has now agreed to pay Mr Ilesanmi £2,500 for wrongful arrest and his humiliating and distressing treatment.
Mr Ilesanmi told The Mail on Sunday: ‘I believe God loves everyone, including Muslims, but I have the right to say I that I don’t agree with Islam – we are living in a Christian country, after all….
Angemon says
Imagine my surprise…
jayell says
The Great and Mighty Khan of London Town…“there are limitations” on the freedom of speech.’… when it doesn’t suit Khan’s muslim agenda, that is. Oh sorry, I got that wrong. Khan’s ‘agnostic muslim’ agenda. (And the Pope has protestant catholic agenda……with a touch of atheism!)
mortimer says
Response to Jayell: There are no limits on the taqiyya of Sadiq Khan.
mortimer says
So Sadiq Khan defended in court Muslims who were terrorists, but he wants Christians punished if they criticize their terrorist ideology.
It looks like Sadiq Khan is unwilling to do anything to stop terrorism. Even verbal opposition to terrorism is unacceptable to Khan.
Sadiq Khan is a terrorism apologist. What a con artist.
william carr says
Good to see Mr Kurten did not let the Mayor off lightly and persisted in trying to get an answer. I hope the police were made to pay the cost of the petrol used and warned they should make better use of their time
william carr says
Meanwhile Muslims are allowed to carry signs saying Sharia will dominate the world, kill those who insult Islam and democracy is cancer etc and nothing is done by police standing near
Lydia Church says
And the limitations are set when muslims begin to proselytize to others, not the other way around!
(If Khan does not like it, let him eat his own words!)
keith says
Hopefully this will start a movement in the right direction.
Kay says
Wow. Khan knows the politician sidestep and the Mohammedan victim cry.
Good that the ruling was in Ilesanmi’s favor. At issue here is more than freedom of speech, it the very freedom to be Christian: go and tell the good news to all nations.
Vivien Hall says
Well said. It’s time Christians stood up to be counted. They need to keep their religion alive or we shall all end up being muslim thanks to the PC brigade.
Keith Ellerby says
Please don’t hold your breath waiting for that change to happen.
R Russell says
When you see the comparison you know you far things have gone in the UK.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dDDko9GfwU
FYI says
Yet the koran says muslims should listen to the Bible..
“And if thou muhammed art in doubt concerning that which WE reveal unto thee,then question those who read the scripture that was before thee[i.e the Bible}”
k10:94
“WE bestowed on {Jesus} the Gospel wherein are guidance and a light”
koran 5:46
In koran 5:47 allah{having claimed to be the author of the Bible k3:3}CONDEMNS
“whoso judgeth not by that which allah hath revealed:such are evil livers”
So not only are muslims obliged to consult and listen to those who know the Bible but they are condemned as EVIL for attacking it!
Yet we see how the Bible is banned in muslim countries:Why,if the koran says muslims should consult those who know it?
Because the islamic religiouS authorities don’t want muslims to read it as then they would see how wrong the koran is.
muslims hate the Bible because the Official Law of God{the 2 chief commandments and the 10 exodus 20 laws}is contradicted by the koran and they really couldn’t be bothered following God’s Laws when they have their pagan Arab god LAH{“The BEST of deceivers” k3:54}to teach them the opposite.
Reckless Rick says
Trump will not allow this nonsense in the US. Share this site & spread the word. The truth will defeat islam.
Stephen Silverstein says
Our police are nothing more than the Muslim Protection Force
Georg says
It’s clear with the police actions and words of Sadiq that Muslims in Britain have freedoms and privileges others do not.
Kepha says
He should’ve gotten far more, and his vindication should’ve prompted the resignations and sackings of many in the police and local government.
LB says
If he were a muslim who got wrongfully arrested, you can bet he would’ve gotten £2,500,000 instead of £2,500. That’s excluding the mainstream media frenzy and the victimhood privileged status that comes with the territory. Hell, he would’ve probably been the next “Clock Boy” and went to meet the Obamas and Saudi royalties.
Christopher Watson says
No, Khan, there are NO limits to Free Speech. THAT’S the point.
Eric says
You either have it or you don’t no halfway house.
tim gallagher says
I always admire people with the courage that this preacher displays by standing up on the street and preaching, although I do suspect it is a pretty futile thing to do. I doubt whether that method would achieve much. It probably just annoys many people. It takes some courage though. But he surely should be free to speak up. Then again, I guess I can see how the problem might be that if authorities let one preacher speak, then you might end up with a cacophony, which would be very annoying to people, because you might have many other people also preaching, much as if you let a whole bunch of talentless, noisy buskers inflict noise of people passing by. As for that appalling Muslim mayor, I’m sure he’d just love to shut down anything but Islam’s crap being preached, the way it always is in Muslim countries. The Muslim concept of “freedom of speech” is that only Islam is allowed to have any freedom of speech. That’s the Muslim idea of the “limitations” on freedom of speech. I don’t think most Muslims have any concept of freedom of speech in the way the western world has, or, at least, did have.
Nathan Dunning says
Yes Britain and Australia are Christian Nations & Islam is Blasphemy against Christ and Christianity. Muslims are the ones who should be charged with hate Speech and Christianophobia. #BanIslam
gravenimage says
UK: Christian arrested for “racism” and “Islamophobia” for preaching to Muslims wins $2786 for wrongful arrest
…………………..
Well, *this* is surprising.
Barry Donnelly says
Britain : The Country from which came many of the greatest preachers in history : Bunyan ,Whitfield, The Wesley’s , Newton ,Spurgeon, Lloyd Jones that’s just a few,many more could be mentioned . Can’t imagine what they would think now !
Eric Jones says
Have other Christian preachers in Britain risen to the defense of Mr. Ilesanmi? A number of years ago Christian radio programs predicted that Christians would be persecuted in the future. I did not believe that this persecution would ever happen. I was wrong. I have had preachers question me about buying a lottery ticket or drinking a beer. Where are the preachers on this?
Eric
sidney penny says
“Mr Ilesanmi told The Mail on Sunday: ‘I believe God loves everyone, including Muslims, but I have the right to say I that I don’t agree with Islam – we are living in a Christian country, after all….”
Christian country but he was in a Muslim City.
Maybe he had not heard of Londonistan and Its Muslim Mayor from Pakistan.
Should have read the book before he went there.
Londonistan By Melanie Phillips
Londonistan: How Britain is Creating a Terror State Within is a 2006 best-selling[1] book by the British journalist Melanie Phillips about the spread of Islamism in the United Kingdom over the previous twenty years. The book was published in London by Encounter books.
Twerzig says
Can a black man ever be racist.
And did I not read here
that black men have
been enslaved
in Pakistan.
Eur says
where slavery really still exists is in Mauritania. All Muslim Moors (Arabized Maghreb) have been using slave labor for centuries, all slaves come from black Africa. Black people have been in the same town for generations serving their “Arab” masters. The offspring of these black blinds are owned by Arab masters, blacks have no possessions or of course freedom. Right now there is a legal vacuum but slavery continues being a fact, although blacks are also Muslims. It is an inheritance of slavery exercised by Arabs towards Africans since the expansion of Islam.
Eric Jones says
Arabs sold Black slaves to the Ottoman Turks. In fact the descendants of these Black slaves still live in Turkey. Arabs also sold Black slaves into the western parts of India. The descendants of these Black slaves live in some western towns in India today. Blacks continue to be enslaved in Mauritania and Sudan. There are now open slave markets in Libya thanks to sultan Obama and Hillary Clinton. Yes this sad tale continues.
Eric
terry sullivan says
the ignorasnt plods involved should be sacked–and they should pay the damages
Bikinis not Burkas says
Islam is evil
Uriah Sheep says
Ok, here we go again…
Islam is NOT a race!
Lydia Church says
I know, it’s like, again… right?
Do we need to review that AGAIN Egor?
George says
Khan needs to be sacked and sent to where his descendants came from
Jedothek says
You can’t say that because ‘No one wants to hear that.’ This is the essence of unfree speech.
Lydia Church says
Exactly. Freedom of speech is not just what you want to hear and what is comfortable for your ears. That is censored and curtailed speech.
Lory says
Glad to hear that this grandfather was awarded restitution for unlawfully being arrested. Freedom of speech only seems to be for the Muslim population in London now doesn’t it? By the way Eddie, I believe in Jesus – he walked on this earth and taught people about truth and justice, forgiveness and LOVE. Jesus is a man for ALL time. Could not stand to watch complete recording of London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan reciting answers from his papers.
Lydia Church says
‘Good news,’ but he should have been awarded much more, like 10 times as much as they are awarding convicted terrorists and such, which is already ten times more than they awarded the evangelist.
GreekEmpress says
+1
Uncle Vladdi says
There’s no way he’d have gotten a single penny if he had been white! He’d be in GAOL!
Tom says
Good for Mr Oluwole Ilesanmi for the recognition of wrongful arrest by an Islam subservient police force in the UK.
As Christians in a Christian country and as free people we have the right to express an opinion and to declare our devotion to God, should we wish to do so, without being accused of hate speech by a compromised police force.
Driving the town drunk out of town several miles and making him walk home was a way to sober him up and was just bad policing back in the bad old days, but doing that to a Christian who’s only “crime” is upsetting Muslims is just total incompetence and bully boy tactics by those arresting officers. They should be fired.