‘This is not China’ says MP after PSNI arrest open air preacher following ‘hate speech’ allegation

DUP MP Mr Wilson was speaking after Loughbrickland man Ryan Williamson was arrested while preaching in Larne on Tuesday. He says police arrived because he had mentioned homosexuality. He was released 30 minutes later for report to prosecutors.

Mr Wilson said it was clear from video footage of the incident on social media that “police probably didn’t handle this very well”.

He said police could have waited until Mr Williamson finished preaching before speaking to him, that no hate speech was apparent on the video - and that four police cars turned up.

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“Clearly police resources are not stretched in Larne if they can produce that number of police officers for an incident,” he said.

“But more worrying is the response from the police in the News Letter that it doesn’t have to be a criminal offence [for police involvement] - the police will investigate where they believe offensive language is being used.

“What is the definition of offensive language and since when were the police authorised to decide what somebody said or didn’t say is offensive?

“If it is criminal then of course they should investigate it. But if it is simply that somebody doesn’t like what somebody has said - well then - we don’t live in China - not yet anyway.”

The officer who arrested Mr Williamson approached him and directed him to stop preaching on account of “hate speech”. However Chief Inspector Stephen Murray yesterday insisted that the arrest was “not related to the content of any speech”.

He said police had recieved a complaint of “hate speech” and another of anti-social behaviour.