And the Lord said... Let there be nonsense

A police community support officer ordered two Christian preachers to stop handing out gospel leaflets in a predominantly Muslim area of Birmingham.

The evangelists say they were threatened with arrest for committing a "hate crime" and were told they risked being beaten up if they returned. The incident will fuel fears that "no-go areas" for Christians are emerging in British towns and cities, as the Rt Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, the Bishop of Rochester, claimed in The Sunday Telegraph this year.

Arthur Cunningham, 48, and Joseph Abraham, 65, both full-time evangelical ministers, have launched legal action against West Midlands Police, claiming the officer infringed their right to profess their religion.

Abraham said: I couldn't believe this was happening in Britain. The Bishop of Rochester was criticised by the Church of England recently when he said there were no-go areas in Britain but he was right; there are certainly no-go areas for Christians who want to share the gospel.

And the Lord said... Let there be nonsense

UK police have refused to apologise for the actions of a Muslim community support officer, who threatened to arrest two Christian ministers for "hate crimes," because they were preaching Christianity in a Muslim area according to British media reports.

Christian ministers Arthur Cunningham, 48, and Joseph Abraham, 65, were handing out leaflets and speaking with four Muslim youths about Christianity in Birmingham on February 19, when Naeem Naguthney a Muslim police community support officer (PCSO) told them to cease-and-desist from preaching to Muslims.

He said we were in a Muslim area and were not allowed to spread our Christian message, Cunningham told the Telegraph. He said we were committing a hate crime by telling the youths to leave Islam and said that he was going to take us to the police station.

Both Christian ministers said Naguthney engaged them in a threatening and intimidating manner. Naguthney called in support from another PCSO named Ali, and a constable named Loi, who told them to leave the Islamic neighbourhood.

When he left, Naguthney made clear that the preachers could not count on the police for their safety: You have been warned. If you come back here and get beaten up, well you have been warned.

I am dumfounded that the police seem so nonchalant," Cunningham told the Daily Mail: They seem content not to make it clear that what we were doing was perfectly legal. This is a free country and to suggest we were guilty of a hate crime for spreading God's word is outrageous.

The Baptist ministers, represented by the UK Christian Institute, have launched a legal action against West Midlands Police, saying their treatment violated articles 9 and 10 of the 1998 Human Rights Act, which guarantees freedom of religious expression. They have asked for an apology and compensation.

West Midlands Police has refused to apologise and instead claimed the incident had been "fully investigated," and Naguthney would be given training in understanding hate crime and communication.

Christians from all over the country gathered in Birmingham on Saturday following claims that two ministers were ejected by police for preaching the word of Jesus.

Followers from Christian Voice have accused West Midlands Police for turning the predominately Muslim area of Alum Rock into a no-go zone for non-Muslims.

The Carmarthen-based group was heading into Alum Rock to distribute Christian leaflets and share the Gospel with passers-by.

Stephen Green, national director of Christian Voice, said: We are coming to preach the Gospel and to show West Midlands Police that they cannot create a Muslim ghetto for the Gospel.

If a West Midlands Police Community Support Officer and a police constable told the preachers to leave the area that sounds like a no-go area and they need to be told that this is just wrong. I’m sure that most Muslims would agree with having freedom of speech.

Earlier this month, evangelists Arthur Cunningham and Joseph Abraham claim they were told they were committing a hate crime by Naeem Naguthney, community police support officer (PCSO) for preaching, and risked being beaten up if they returned.

West Midlands Police are currently holding an internal review following a complaint from the two preachers.

Lawyers are preparing papers to sue West Midlands Police after officers told two Christians not to preachin a Muslim area of Birmingham.

The legal action is being financed by The Christian Institute’s Legal Defence Fund. Unless the force issues a public apology, papers will be filed in September.

The incident happened to Mr Arthur Cunningham and Mr Joseph Abraham as they were handing out Christian tracts on the corner of Ellesmere Road and Alum Rock Road in the city on 19 February this year.

PCSO Naguthney told the Christians they were committing a hate crime and that he was going to take them to the police station. Two other officers, PCSO Ali and PC Loi, also attended the incident. PC Loi advised  Cunningham and Abraham that it might be wiser if they did not come back to Alum Rock Road. PCSO Naguthney said, You have been warned. If you come back here and get beat up, well you have been warned.

Despite repeated complaints from Cunningam and Abrahams, the pair are not satisfied with how West Midlands Police has dealt with the matter. It is understood that PCSO Naguthney has been given verbal advice for his pocket notebook and will receive training in understanding hate crime and communicating with the public.

West Midlands Police have referred the matter to Independent Police Complaints Commission who are looking into the incident.

Lawyers acting for the two Christians say the men are entitled to bring a claim against West Midlands Police for breach of their convention rights under articles 9 (freedom of religion) and 10 (freedom of speech) of the Human Rights Act 1998.

Cunningham and Abraham are seeking a full and unreserved written apology, recognition that their convention rights were infringed by the conduct of the police officers, damages and reasonable legal costs.