Three members of a street “Muslim patrol” were sentenced to imprisonment for harassing and attacking couples in East London in an attempt to enforce Sharia law. Jordan Horner, 19, Ricardo MacFarlane, 36 and a third man of 23 years of age who is unnamed for legal reasons are to respectively serve 68 weeks (17 months), 1 year and 6 months in prison. Of the trio, Horner is associated with Islamist preacher Anjem Choudhary, who is a rabid advocate for Sharia law and Islamic rule in Britain.

In December, 2012 Horner and his unnamed accomplice used their car to terrorize a couple holding hands while walking the street, while shouting “Let go of each other's hands. This is a Muslim area!” On January 6, 2013 Horner and MacFarlane physically assailed men drinking in the locality of Shoreditch while yelling “Kill the non-believers!” and shouting that they were there to “enforce Sharia law” in “Allah's land.” On January 13, Horner and his unnamed accomplice harassed civilians Clare Coyle and Robert Gray in Stepney, taunting Coyle by calling her a “slag” for her dress and for being out with a man. When Coyle countered “This is Great Britain. I can dress how I wish,” the vigilantes mocked Britain and demanded that the couple remove themselves from the area.

Video recordings from Horner's phone show Horner and his accomplices repeatedly threatening and warning civilians that the areas they were patrolling were “Muslim areas,” denouncing alcohol as “evil” and threatening some civilians to not enter the area again, saying “We don't respect those who disrespect God.”

In another video, the men attempt to bully and chase away a gay man for “dressing like a fag” in the so-called “Muslim area,” abusing him as “dirty” and “bloody fag” and threatening him to leave the area:

The problem of Muslim youths acting as vigilantes has emerged across Britain and much of western Europe. Jordan Horner, who changed his name to Jamal Uddin after converting to Islam, has previously served in prison for physically assaulting a photographer and has been witnessed raising posters across East London proclaiming that alcohol was “banned.” MacFarlane was previously convicted for criminal damage when he painted over advertisements of women in the street.

Speaking in court, prosecutor Alex Chalk said “This is a case about religious vigilantism. These men were members of a self-styled Muslim Patrol who threatened, intimidated and even assaulted members of the public who they perceived to be behaving in an un-Islamic manner. The men accosted members of the public in neighbourhoods of East London which they claimed were Muslim areas, and where according to them different law applied.”

In her statement, the court Judge Rebecca Poulet, Queen's Counsel said: “One of the many good things about living in Great Britain is the tolerance and respect members of the public generally show to one another's religious beliefs, his dress or his chosen way of life. When on occasions a person shows their intolerance of another individual whether by aggression or violence and in such a way as to cause real fear to the individual then the law can be invoked to protect that individual. This law would protect you if someone treated you in this way. It is the very same law that now brings you before this court for your conduct. My understanding is that Islam is a peaceful religion and this conduct was unfortunately anything but.”

However, the judge also added that her sentencing power was restricted as the prosecution had not pressed charges of religiously aggravated offences.

Both accused pleaded guilty. Defence counsels Lisa Wilson, representing Horner, and Susan Meek, spoke of their clients relative youth and immaturity, and cited them having young families. They claimed the men did not realize the consequences of their actions. The defence counsels both cited Islam as a “religious calling” that had changed their lives, but also admitted that these crimes were directly related with Islam.

 

Opinions