UPDATE: Councillor Supporting Christian Councillor's Freedom of Speech Now Faces Criminal Investigation
On August 8, Wellingborough Town Councillor Anthony Stevens, 50, was searched in his house in front of his wife and children, taken to the Kettering police station, and heavily questioned, for posting tweets from his personal account supporting the case of Christian Councillor King Lawal. King Lawal faced suspension as a Councillor, investigations and other forms of cancelling and discriminatory treatment for tweeting that "Pride" is a sin in June 2023. Mr Lawal launched a petition, which has been signed by over 26,000 people, calling on the Chairman of the Conservative Party, Greg Hands, to intervene in his behalf. Cllr Stevens shared the petition and tweeted in support of Cllr Lawal saying: ‘If you value free speech please sign and share’. Officers showed Cllr Stevens his tweets and asked him why he supported the petition. Cllr Stevens stated that he is a free speech absolutist and that even if he does not agree with someone, he believes in their right to express their beliefs. Cllr Stevens was released on bail, his mobile phone was seized to be searched for further evidence. He is required to surrender himself at Kettering police station on November 1. He has made a complaint to the Independent Office for Police Conduct regarding his treatment.
Mr Lawal had launched a petition, which has been signed by over 26,000 people, calling on the Chairman of the Conservative Party, Greg Hands, to intervene. Cllr Stevens responded by tweeting in support of Cllr Lawal and free speech to his 76 followers. He shared the petition with a brief comment: ‘If you value free speech please sign and share’.
He also shared a video of Mr Lawal being interviewed by Jacob Rees-Mogg on GB News and said: ‘That is my friend, everyone has a right to their beliefs, people can disagree as is their right but to ruin their standing because of them is wrong.’
After sharing these tweets, on 8 August, Cllr Stevens was at his home with his wife and children when two police officers appeared through his side gate which was open and had not used the intercom. He was told he was under arrest for a public order offence under section 19 of the Public Order Act 1986. Cllr Stevens was then escorted to Kettering police station where he had his fingerprints and DNA taken and was placed in a cell. Taken to the interview room, he was told that he had been arrested for allegedly ‘inciting racial hatred’.
He was then asked if he was a local councillor and whether he belonged to the Conservative party. He was also asked if he knew certain members of the Labour Party in Northampton who had reported him to the police. He was interrogated about print-outs of posts on his Twitter account.
Officers showed Cllr Stevens his tweets regarding Cllr Lawal and asked him why he supported the petition. Cllr Stevens stated that he is a free speech absolutist and that even if he does not agree with someone, he believes in their right to express their beliefs. He was then asked if he agreed with Cllr Lawal’s original tweet that Pride is a sin, including LGBT events. Cllr Stevens said that it did not matter whether he agreed with what he said or not, he believed he had the right to say it without having his life torn apart. The officer who asked the question was reportedly visibly angry with this response.
The interview finished with officers again pressing Cllr Stevens on why he had defended Cllr Lawal. Cllr Stevens was then released on bail while his mobile phone was seized to be searched for further evidence. He is required to surrender himself at Kettering police station on 1 November. Cllr Stevens has made a complaint to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) regarding his treatment.
UPDATE: On the first week of December 2023 the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped the case against Cllr Stevens due to insufficient evidence, while Northamptonshire Police confirmed the decision. Cllr Stevens expressed relief but highlighted the impact the case had on his reputation: “Yes, I have been vindicated and I am relieved that no further action will be taken, but look what I have been put through. My reputation, business, health and even my relationships have been seriously affected by this abuse of police power.”
King Lawal Case: OIDAC Europe
Sources: Christian Concern, BBC, Telegraph Update: Telegraph, BBC
Picture: Christian Concern