The prominent Leicester Muslim activist Majid Freeman has been sentenced to 22 weeks in prison after being convicted of a Section 4 Public Order offence.
Freeman, who was instrumental in exposing Hindutva violence in Leicester in 2022, is an international aid worker and pro-Palestine campaigner.
He was sentenced today by District Judge Amar Mehtaat at Northampton Magistrates Court after being convicted during a trial on June 19.
The conviction is related to an incident of public disorder in Leicester on September 17, 2022. The court decided that Freeman intended “immediate unlawful violence” and used “abusive words with the intention that violence would be provoked.”
In a statement Majid Freeman, 36, said: “I should have never stood trial for defending the Leicester community. Back in September 2022, Leicester witnessed a protracted period of religious tensions between Muslim and Hindu communities. The violent and hateful Hindutva ideology lay at the heart of the unrest.
“Despite provocations from Hindu protestors, I consistently called for calm and was involved in talks with the police, local councillors and community leaders from across Leicester to de-escalate tensions. The evidence presented at my trial demonstrated this fact.
“I stood on trial because Leicestershire Police failed in their duty to keep the peace. Instead of reflecting on their pitiful role during the unrest, Leicestershire Police have decided to pursue me, someone they would often turn to for support.
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“Thank you to all those who stood alongside me and supported me. Moving forward, I and my lawyers will be considering my grounds for an appeal.”
Meanwhile, advocacy organisation CAGE said Freeman’s imprisonment serves as a clear example of a “politicised judiciary and police force, determined to silence one of the UK’s most prominent pro-Palestine Muslim activists.”
CAGE said: “Since the 2022 Hindutva-inspired riots in Leicester, ongoing revelations have highlighted the failures of Leicestershire Police, particularly Chief Constable Rob Nixon, in managing the situation. The force allowed paramilitary-style marches by Hindutva agitators in Muslim neighbourhoods in Leicester, directly causing the community tensions.
“The trial of Majid Freeman, an outspoken advocate for justice and a significant figure in local politics, is inherently political. At its core, this case is about silencing Freeman’s activism.
“Whether exposing police incompetence, challenging former Labour MP for Leicester South John Ashworth, or documenting the livestreamed genocide in Gaza and the UK government’s complicity, Freeman has consistently stood for justice.”
On a separate matter, in July Majid Freeman was charged with the encouragement of terrorism and supporting a proscribed organisation.
5Pillars understands that the charge relates to social media activity concerning the Palestinian group Hamas.
Hamas has been prohibited a terrorist organisation in many Western countries, including the UK, but is viewed as a resistance group across the Muslim world and beyond.
Other notable pro-Palestine figures recently arrested over their activism include Palestine Action co-founder Richard Barnard, and independent pro-Palestine journalists Richard Medhurst and Sarah Wilkinson.
