video shared on facebook It has been claimed that British police officers were threatening to arrest a Christian preacher for potentially causing “harassment”.
Verdict: False
Posts shared on YouTube and X indicate police are investigating allegedly homophobic comments. A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police denied the validity of the claim in an email to Check Your Fact.
Fact check:
Detective Constable Dino Atkins-Tyler of the Metropolitan Police was “fired without notice” after methamphetamine was found in his home. East London Advertiser. The paper said he had pleaded guilty to possessing class A drugs and was placed on the banned list by the College of Policing, preventing him from being “employed in the police force” in the future.
“British police have advised Christian preachers to leave or be arrested because they could 'cause harassment, alarm or distress'. This is a 'criminal offence'.” [sic]” says the video's caption. The video begins with a police officer telling the preachers that they may be committing criminal activity. One of the preachers then explains that they share the Christian faith, quoting the Bible verse John 3:16. Other police officers then appear in the frame and ask Preacher his name.
However, this claim is false.Longer version of the interaction shared on YouTube Police are investigating the alleged homophobic comments.post Shared by XAn earlier Twitter post by the Metropolitan Police corroborates the claims made in the YouTube video. This post includes a photo of the call log. “They say, 'Homosexuality is an abomination,'” reads part of the call transcript. (Related: No evidence of NATO behind Russian warship attack)
The headline also suggests that we shouldn't respond that way when we receive a report from “just one ordinary person.”
Knowing that many people would disagree, we have taken the unusual step of publishing the initial call transcript below that shows what the officers responded to. pic.twitter.com/jTwU9wUNIt
— Metropolitan Police Department (@metpoliceuk) February 15, 2024
Similarly, we found “Check the facts” There are no reliable reports to support the claim. In fact, the opposite is true. Reuters also debunked this claim. Article from March 7th.
Additionally, a Metropolitan Police spokesperson denied the validity of this claim in an email to Check Your Fact.
“Officers were responding to a report from a member of the public that a group was making racist and homophobic comments. The Metropolitan District does not tolerate hate crimes and officers will We responded to investigate,” the spokesperson said.
“We watched a body-worn video of the entire interaction, which lasted 50 minutes. This was a video of the officer informing the group of the allegations, explaining what a hate crime was, and discussing what was going on. There were no arrests made.[s]” added the spokesperson.
