Criticize Islam, Go to Jail

Abraham at World Magazine Blog makes a fine point about the state of free speech in Britain:

Nick Griffin, leader of the fringe right-wing British Nationalist Party, was arrested yesterday for badmouthing Islam during a meeting. A BBC undercover reporter secretly filmed him making the comments, which aired July in a documentary: "This wicked, vicious faith has expanded through a handful of cranky lunatics about 1,300 years ago until it is now sweeping country after country." Police arrested him on suspicion of incitement to racial hatred, but released him on bail. It's probably not wise to expend too much sympathy on the BNP, whose main aim is to preserve Britain for "indigenous" (that is, white) Britons. Griffin has also questioned the Holocaust in the past. Still, how long before police bundle off ordinary Christian leaders or others who disagree with aspects of Islam?

Update: The answer to that question (in Australia) is, Not long:

Christian pair guilty of racial hatred
By Kate Jones
December 18, 2004

AN evangelical Christian group incited hatred and severe ridicule of Muslims when it called them demons, liars and terrorists, a tribunal ruled yesterday.

In the landmark ruling, Catch the Fire Ministries pastors Daniel Nalliah and Daniel Scot were found guilty of religious vilification, making them the first under Victoria's new race and religion hate laws.

Pastor Scot told a congregation in a 2002 seminar that Muslims were training to take over Australia and encouraged domestic violence, and that Islam was an inherently violent religion.

Shortly after, the Islamic Council of Victoria filed legal action against Catch the Fire Ministries and the two pastors.

Yesterday in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, Judge Michael Higgins found that throughout the seminar Pastor Scot had made fun of Muslim beliefs and conduct.

"It was done, not in the context of a serious discussion of Muslims' religious beliefs," the judge said.

"It was presented in a way which is essentially hostile, demeaning and derogatory of all Muslim people, their god, Allah, the prophet Mohammed and in general Muslim religious beliefs and practices."

An article published on the Catch the Fire Ministries website and a newsletter distributed by the group were also found to breach the religious vilification legislation.

Islamic Council president Yasser Soliman said the ruling was an important victory for the Muslim community.

"We are not their enemies, we are fellow Australians," Mr Soliman said.

"We don't want to be positioned as an enemy or painted as one.

"Vilification hurts - it's meant to hurt. It's a tool that is sometimes used by extremists."

Pastors Nalliah and Scot described the tribunal's decision as a blow to freedom of speech and said they were considering an appeal.

"Freedom of speech is one of our fundamental values in Australia and this case is not over," Pastor Scot said.

"We cannot let freedom of speech be taken away from us; religion cannot be legislated.

"Gagging people's mouths is the worst thing you can ever do."

Pastor Scot said the seminar, which was organised after the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US, was held to increase understanding of Muslim culture.

Pastor Nalliah said: "There was no hate speech at all.

"It was teaching and understanding of what we knew of what the holy book of Islamic faith says.

"And I believe we, in a free and democratic society, should have the freedom to speak up."