News by email Donate

Suggestions

Top Stories

Most Read

Popular Videos

Oluwole-Ilesanmi-street-preacher-main_article_image.jpg
Christian Concern
UK News

London street preacher's arrest prompts Government review petition

The letter is being circulated by lawyers at the Christian Legal Centre who have been supporting Oluwole Ilesanmi since his brief detention last weekend.

Addressed to Home Secretary Sajid Javid, the note says: "It's not the first time a Christian street preacher has been wrongly arrested in the UK.

"Christian street preachers should be free to share the gospel, even where it means challenging the beliefs of others."

The campaign demands an urgent review to ensure police are properly trained to "act within the law" in their dealings with street preachers.

The CLC, which is part of the Christian Concern campaign group, insists evangelists should be free to share the Gospel.

The petition continues: "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.

PA

"Please urgently investigate what guidance and training is being given to police officers nationwide to ensure that they protect the freedom to preach in public."

The CLC says it has previously cleared the names of scores of street evangelists who have been arrested and, in some cases, charged.

Last week, Premier reported how the Metropolitan Police was conducting an review of Mr Ilesanmi's arrest.

The force said it came after complaints were received and the 64-year-old's detention was made to "prevent a breach of the peace".

Stay up to date with the latest news stories from a Christian perspective. Sign up to our daily newsletter and receive more stories like this straight to your inbox every morning.

Tell us what you think about our news service, what you want and how Premier fits into your news landscape. Take our quick survey!

A Monthly Gift Of $11 Makes A World Of Difference

In a world of fake news there’s never been a greater need for quality Christian journalism. Premier’s mission is to provide the Church with the most up to date and relevant news, told from a Christian perspective. But we can’t do it without you.

Unlike many websites we haven't put up a paywall — we want to keep our journalism free at the point of need and as open as we can. Premier’s news output takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. No one in the USA is sharing news like we are across radio, magazines and online so please help us to continue that today.

For a monthly gift of $11 or more we’d also be able to send you a free copy of the brand new Premier Bible, a wonderful Anglicised version of the NLT packed with exclusive bonus content, reading plan and resources to help you get the most out of scripture.

Your monthly support will make a world of difference. Thank you.

Support Us
Continue the conversation on our Facebook page

Related Articles

Sign up to our newsletter to stay informed with news from a Christian perspective.

News by email

Connect

Donate

Donate