Free speech win for Christian preacher prosecuted for criticising Islam

The prosecution of a Christian preacher has been thrown out of court, with CCTV footage showing the preacher being assaulted, harassed and surrounded by an Islamic mob for critiquing the Quran.

At a hearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Mr Recorder G Kelly threw out the case against Karandeep Mamman, 33. He said that because the Crown had refused to offer any evidence to the charges of section 4A of the Public Order Act, only a verdict of not guilty could be entered against Mr Mamman.

On 14 January 2023, Mr Mamman, who has been supported by the Christian Legal Centre, was exercising his freedom of expression and religion while preaching in Walsall town centre when he was confronted by a group of 20-30 Islamic men and women.

Forming a ring around him, Mr Mamman said the group threatened to take him away, beat him up and ‘cut his throat.’

The threats were made after Mr Mamman had said that Islam represents “a wrong Jesus” in the Quran by presenting him as a prophet rather than the Son of God.

He added that: “Jesus in the Qur’an is not the true Jesus”, and “according to the Qur’an Mohammad promoted hatred, terrorism and killing of Jews and Christians who do not convert”.

‘Mob would not let him go’

In response, Mr Mamman said: “Except that if you don’t repent you are all going to perish”.

A witness statement obtained as part of Mr Mamman’s subsequent legal defence said that ‘he wanted to leave but the mob would not let him go.’

The mob followed and remonstrated with him until town centre security appeared and Mr Mamman was allowed to leave the scene.

The CCTV footage also revealed two men assaulting and aggressively ripping apart a sign the Christian preacher was holding. Listing a series of Christian commands from the Bible, the sign included a symbol suggesting the prohibition of homosexual practice.

The two men, reportedly a homosexual couple, can be seen in the footage calling the police, presumably to report an alleged ‘hate crime.’

As Mr Mamman left the scene, however, police officers arrived appearing to be concerned for his safety and checked if he was ok.

Mr Mamman was therefore shocked to later be invited by the police to a voluntary interview and he was eventually charged under section 28 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 for causing religiously aggravated harassment, alarm and distress.

Mr Mamman told the police said “I did not attack anybody in particular. I was just expressing my freedom of speech”.

Lawyers representing Mr Mamman said that it was ‘an abuse of process to prosecute him for exercising his right to free speech.’

They added that Mr Mamman’s “conduct in this case was peaceful protest that did not come near what the ECHR described as reprehensible act.”

Furthermore, they said: “It is submitted that this prosecution should be stayed as an abuse of process as [Mr Mamman’s] speech was protected by Article 9 to 11 of the ECHR. To permit this prosecution would undermine public confidence in criminal justice system. What D said was based on historic and religious texts. There were no threats, there was no abuse. There was no invective towards an individual.”

Defending Mr Mamman’s references to Islam terrorism, expert evidence was provided by Dr Martin Parsons.

In his evidence, Dr Parsons provided a series of passages from the Quran which reveal the promotion of terror and the 164 verses that mention military Jihad. For example, from Q8:12:

“Soon shall we cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers’ further Remember thy lord inspired the angels (with the message) “I am with you: give firmness to the Believers: I will instil terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers: Smite ye above their necks and smite their finger-tips off them.”

“I stood for my beliefs”

Responding to the outcome, Mr Mamman said: “My aim always when preaching is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and that all of us can only be saved if we follow His teaching.

“Often members of the public respond with significant hostility to the Bible’s moral clarity, but that does not make it a criminal offence.

“It was intimidating to be attacked and surrounded by such an angry mob, but I was determined to stand my ground and not back down over my beliefs.

“The authorities should have been protecting my personal safety and free speech rights. Instead, by prosecuting me they have encouraged members of the public that this is the appropriate approach to getting your way and shutting down the expression of beliefs that you don’t like.  

“I couldn’t believe that I was contacted by the police and interrogated and that this even ended up in court.

“I am relieved and pleased that the judge threw the case out and I give all the glory to Jesus.”

‘More must be done to protect free speech’

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: “We are pleased that this case has gone no further, but it is very concerning that it got this far.

“The CCTV footage reveals Karandeep being assaulted, threatened and surrounded, for expressing his Christian beliefs, yet it is he that ends up being prosecuted by the police.

“There are growing concerns over whether the UK government and authorities are defending free speech in the public sphere. More must be done to protect free speech and cherished Christian freedoms in our town squares, not just in Walsall, but across the UK.”