Police Officer’s Stand for Free Speech Sparks Debate on Met’s Culture
A senior Metropolitan Police officer has offered praise for a constable who upheld a Christian street preacher’s freedom of speech in Whitechapel, east London. While this incident has been met with approval from free speech advocates, it raises questions about whether this signals a shift in the Met’s longstanding approach.
Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist addressed the matter at a police and crime committee meeting on February 25, following widespread attention to a video where a female officer asserted the right to free speech amidst objections in a predominantly Muslim area. She stated, “In this country, we have freedom of speech.”
At the meeting, Susan Hall, leader of City Hall’s Conservative group, remarked, “I particularly want to congratulate you on your female officer, who I think it was in Whitechapel, actually reminded people what the meaning of free speech is. I really would like to commend her and I would love to see more police officers actually doing that. I hope you thank her on behalf of very many of us.”
AC Twist responded appreciatively, highlighting the positive actions of PC Moule in Whitechapel, noting that her efforts have been shared widely across social media. “My view is it was a good example of officers showing policing common sense without fear or favour and doing a good job,” he stated.
Despite this incident, the Met has faced criticism for its historical stance on free speech. A notable example involves the arrest of John Sherwood, a 71-year-old Christian street preacher, in Uxbridge in April 2021. Sherwood was detained after preaching on Genesis 1:27 and expressing traditional views on family, which some bystanders reported as homophobic hate speech.
Sherwood was arrested for allegedly violating Section 5 of the Public Order Act, which addresses “threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.” His defense successfully argued in favor of free expression as protected under Article 10 of the 1998 Human Rights Act.
The arrest, deemed “brutal” by Christian Concern, was defended by the Met, who stated that officers were informed by the public of Sherwood’s comments. The Directorate of Professional Standards assessed the arrest footage and found no misconduct, and the case did not proceed to a full review.
Sherwood was acquitted by Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court in 2022, but the incident highlighted perceived anti-free speech tendencies within the Force. Critics argue that such actions reflect a prioritization of preventing offense to protected groups over free speech rights, particularly for Christians.
AC Twist’s comments have sparked discussion on whether there will be a cultural shift within the Met. Toby Young, General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, expressed in The Telegraph: “I don’t know the officer’s name – the Metropolitan Police have declined to comment – but she deserves a medal. What she demonstrated, under considerable pressure, was a good grasp of the law: that a person preaching peacefully in a public place is exercising a right protected by Article 10 of the Human Rights Act 1998, and that the feelings of bystanders, however loudly expressed, are irrelevant. Unfortunately, she is the exception rather than the rule.”
While PC Moule’s stance is celebrated, many within the pro-free speech community remain cautious. They believe that, without significant changes within the Met, the struggle to maintain Christian expression in public spaces will continue.
Julian Mann, a former Church of England vicar, is an evangelical journalist based in Lancashire.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
