A nun was convicted of religious harassment after ranting against 'terrorist'
Muslims in the middle of London's busy Oxford Street.
http://www.lse.co.uk/ShowStory.asp?story=NS1432184J&news_headline=nun_accused_of_religious_harassment
Sister Ruth Augustus, 66, was fined £200 after she shouted at two women in
full robes and veils "you're probably terrorists, get back to your own country".
Later she told cops who arrested her they should go back to Iraq and have
their heads chopped off.
City of Westminster Magistrates Court heard how trouble flared when Augustus,
a missionary who has worked with prostitutes in the developing world, was
handing out prayer leaflets outside Debenhams department store on Easter
Tuesday.
When people of Muslim appearance passed she called out "Jesus loves Muslims,"
but two ladies in traditional dress took offence.
Fellow leafleter, Tony Rollins, told the court: "The ladies answered back and
told her shut her stupid mouth.
"Sister Ruth said to them 'you're probably terrorists, get back to your own
country'. They gave her a long, hard stare before walking away.
"I was cringing at what she said. It made me feel very uneasy."
WPC Natasha Walker said she heard a 'commotion' outside the shop and went to
investigate.
The officer said: "I heard someone shouting 'terrorists, terrorists' more
than once. It's busy on Oxford Street, so she must have been shouting really
loud.
"I turned round and noticed there were a group of people standing outside
Debenhams. Sister Augustus was shouting 'terrorists' repeatedly and other
things about Muslims.
"I asked her to stop, but she refused. She said 'I will not stop, I'm a nun'.
"Because she refused to stop I arrested her. She said 'You're not arresting
me, I'm a nun. It's a waste of tax payers' money. You're arresting me because
you're a Muslim.'"
WPC Walker called for for colleagues to help bundle the 'agitated and
aggressive' into the back of the police van.
WPC Keeley Pemberton said when she arrived she heard Augustus shouting at PC
Walker "Take your dirty hands off me, you're a Muslim."
After a night in police cells Augustus was bailed to return to Marylebone
Police Station in June, but when her solicitor didn't show, she launched into
another tirade, it was said.
She called the two officers morons, referred to one as 'WPC Muslim Walker',
and shouted in the public waiting area "This is a Muslim country full of
terrorists," the court heard.
WPC Pemberton said Augustus became increasingly 'agitated and abusive'.
She said: "I asked her to be quiet and she shouted 'Go back to Iraq' and was
pointing at WPC Walker. She said it very aggressively.
"Then she looked at me and said 'You should go with her and both of you will
get your heads chopped off'."
WPC Walker said: "She said to me 'you should go back to Iraq where you
belong, where all the terrorists are. You are likely to be beheaded. You
deserve it'."
When she was arrested again she ranted at officers "You're all morons,
especially that Muslim - she's a chimpanzee and she needs to go back to the zoo
with the other chimpanzees," WPC Pemberton said.
Augustus, who represented herself after sacking her lawyer early in the
proceedings, was frequently told to be quiet as she heckled the witnesses.
While giving evidence, she insisted on wearing a large placard with a picture
of Jesus on it round her neck.
She claimed she had in fact suggested to the officers that they should stop
wasting time on her and instead go out and catch paedophiles and rapists, or go
out to Iraq to help our troops fight terrorists.
Augustus accused police of "religious bigotry and hatred" and claimed she was
handled roughly, locked in a cell when she was ill, and strip-searched in the
street.
She said: "I was responding to extreme provocation. The police were abusing
me and were acting in a most satanic, brutal and unprofessional manner. I felt
entitled to call them chimpanzees because that is how they were behaving."
The reference to beheading she said was in reference to the catholic
missionary Margaret Hassan, who was kidnapped and murdered by insurgents.
Augustus, of Kensington, was found guilty of two charges of religiously
aggravated harassment.
District Judge Emma Arbuthnot told her: "I have no doubt at all that Sister
Augustus's behaviour amounted to religiously aggravated harassment.
"This was extremely upsetting and rude behaviour which harassed and alarmed
not just the officers but others who were around at the time.
"It is clear from her behaviour today that she was an extremely difficult
defendant to deal with. The officers I'm sure dealt with her as best they could
and cannot be criticised."
She was fined a total of £200 plus £40 court costs. The judge told the
pensioner: "By rights you should pay compensation but I'm not going to make you
as you are not in a position to pay any more."
Augustus replied: "It's a disgrace. If this is British justice, I'm going
back to Africa. They are more civilised there." She vowed to appeal against her
conviction in the highest court
Comment:
Christianity is portrayed in the media as a peace loving religion while Islam
is shown as a violent and bloodthirsty religion. Muslims are violent and
Christians are polite and calm.
The reality is different. The Crusades were launched by the clergy and Kings
and resulted in killing of civilians, rape and plunder. Many extreme
organisations like the Ku Klux Klan claim justifications based upon the bible.
Christianity has a very clourful past indeed.
Do we get to read , hear and see all this in the media? Of course we dont,
because Islam and Muslims take up all the front page and headlines.
Quite funny how this nun thinks, totally the opposite to Jesus ( Isa ) peace
be upon him, instead of attacking and arguing with Secularists who allow Jusus
to be insulted and abused in the name of fredom of expression,she picks a fight
with Muslims who have nothing but love and respect for Isa peace be upon him
and his family.
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