Christian preachers who stood on a British street and preached against Islam have been arraigned in court on charges of religiously aggravated abuse. The preachers allegedly told passersby that “Mohammed is a liar” and “Allah is the greatest deceiver”. Their words attracted a crowd that became hostile to them, forcing police to intervene and arrest them.
Three Christian preachers who stood on a British street and preached against Islam in July last year have been arraigned in court on charges of religiously aggravated abuse.
Police intervened to stop the street preachers
Adrian Clark, 51, Michael Overd, 52, and Michael Stockwell, 50, pleaded not guilty to the charges when they appeared in court in Bristol.
Footage from the incident shows the three making statements at a gathering crowd, including one that said being gay is “immoral.” They also held placards and used microphones to get their message across.
The crowd became hostile to them, forcing police to intervene and arrest them. This sparked cheers from the crowd.
Police arrested the street preachers
In the footage, the men are heard speaking against intimacy before marriage, divorce and Buddha, whom they called a “liar.”
The three preachers defended their actions, which they said were within the laws allowing freedom of speech.
A witness speaking in court said the preachers intention was simply to “pick up a fight,” while the prosecution argued that they had crossed the lines of free speech. The hearing continues.
The video below shows the moment police arrested the preachers.
