Arrested for quoting Winston Churchill: European election candidate accused of religious and racial harassment after he repeats wartime prime minister’s words on Islam during campaign speech



Paul Weston was arrested on the steps of Winchester's Guildhall

Chairman of Liberty GB was detained on suspicion of racial harrassment

He quoted a passage from Winston Churchill's 1899 book The River War







A candidate in the European elections was arrested on suspicion of racial harrassment after quoting a passage about Islam, written by Winston Churchill, during a campaign speech.



Paul Weston, chairman of the party Liberty GB, made the address on the steps of Winchester Guildhall, in Hampshire on Saturday.

A member of the public took offence at the quote, taken from Churchill's The River War and called police.

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Liberty GB European candidate Paul Weston, was arrested on the steps of Winchester Guildhall after a member of the public complained about a passage about Islam, quoted from Winston Churchill's book The River War Police officers arrested Mr Weston, mid-speech, for failing to comply with their request to move on under the powers of a dispersal order made against him. He was further arrested on suspicion of religious or racial harrassment Officers spent around 40 minutes speaking to Mr Weston on the steps of the Guildhall before he was detained and taken for questioning

The River War by Winston Churchill charts the former Prime Minister's time serving during the Sahdist War in Sudan

The passage from the book, written by the wartime Prime Minister and first published in 1899, focuses on Churchill's observations about Islam while serving during the Anglo-Egyptian reconquest of the Sudan.

Mr Weston told his audience: ' Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live.



'Thousands become the brave and loyal soldiers of the faith: all know how to die but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it.



'No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith.'

Police officers arrested Mr Weston, mid-speech, for failing to comply with their request to move on under the powers of a dispersal order made against him.

He was further arrested on suspicion of religious or racial harrassment.

The former Prime Minister Winston Churchill wrote of his experiences while serving in Sudan. He is pictured, right, in 1895 - four years before The River War was first published - in his military uniform

A Hampshire police spokesman said: 'A 50-year-old man from Dorset was arrested outside Winchester Guildhall at approximately 2.30pm on Saturday, April 26 after he failed to comply with a section 27 dispersal order.

'The dispersal order was issued following complaints from members of the public about the man's behaviour.

PASSAGE QUOTED IN FULL

'How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries!,' wrote Churchill. 'Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. 'The effects are apparent in many countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live. 'A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity. 'The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property – either as a child, a wife, or a concubine – must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men. 'Thousands become the brave and loyal soldiers of the faith: all know how to die but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it. 'No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith.'

'He was further arrested on suspicion of religious/racial harassment.



'He has been bailed pending further inquiries to report back to police on May 24.'

A Liberty GB spokesman said: 'Mr Weston was standing on the steps of Winchester Guildhall, addressing the passers-by in the street with a megaphone.



'He quoted an excerpt about Islam from the book The River War by Winston Churchill.

'Reportedly, a woman came out of the Guildhall and asked Mr Weston if he had the authorisation to make this speech.



'When he answered that he didn't, she told him, "It's disgusting," and then called the police.

'Six or seven officers arrived. They talked with the people standing nearby, asking questions about what had happened.



'The police had a long discussion with Mr Weston, lasting about 40 minutes.

'At about 3pm he was arrested. They searched him, put him in a police van and took him away.'