UK: South Wales Police Now Forced to Halt Their Plan to Arrest People for ‘Anti-Muslim Hostility’

In the U.K., the South Wales Police wanted to adopt a definition of “anti-Muslim hostility” that went far beyond the definition accepted by the British government. Faced, however, with pushback from the Free Speech Union, the South Wales Police has for now halted its attempts to impose its expansive interpretation of what constitutes anti-Muslim hostility, that it thinks should no. be protected as “free speech.” More on this attempt to smuggle in an Islamic blasphemy law can be found here: “South Wales Police shelve Islamic blasphemy law after FSU legal threat,” by Max Thompson, Free Speech Union, June 10, 2026:

South Wales Police have shelved their controversial bespoke Islamic blasphemy law after the Free Speech Union threatened them with a judicial review.

The force has written to the Free Speech Union to confirm that it has now “paused” its adoption of an “anti-Muslim hostility” definition that went even further than the Government’s own version, announced in March.

Under guidance issued to officers, they were instructed to log anything deemed to be beyond “legitimate criticism” of Islam. That would inevitably have included criticism of the hijab or halal food. More concerning still, it would have deterred individuals from speaking out on issues such as the grooming gangs scandal and Islamist extremism….

If the South Wales police were to have had their way, they would have almost every criticism of Islam or of Muslims recorded for possible charges to later be brought against those making such criticism. This criticism which would not be permitted could include derogatory remarks about hijabs (as examples of misogyny) and halal food (as animal cruelty). Such a definition of “anti-Muslim hostility” would also make people afraid of discussing grooming gangs, or Islam-fueled terrorism.

Credit must also be given to the Conservative MP and shadow minister for equalities, Claire Coutinho, who referred the force to the Equality and Human Rights Commission, urging it to open an investigation on grounds of discrimination. Coutinho described the guidance as “a de facto blasphemy law, which only applies to the discussion of Islam” rather than any other religion….

There is no doubt that the South Wales police were discriminating in favor of Muslims — they issued no similar guidelines about anti-Christian or anti-Jewish comments — and one hopes that the Equality and Human Rights Commission will issue a stiff reproof that may even cause some heads to roll at the South Wales police. That would be a warning to others who may be contemplating their own effort to provide special protection to Islam.

South Wales Police adopted this definition in the wake of the Government announcing their own official definition of Islamophobia — now repackaged as “anti-Muslim hostility” — in March….

“Islamophobia” was always a weasel word, using to describe what is a perfectly rational dislike and even fear of Islam as a “phobia” — that is, an “irrational fear or dislike.” At least the South Wales Police got rid of that word, but its substitute, “anti-Muslim hostility,” is no better. Why should non-Muslims welcome a religion that instructs Muslims that they are “the best of peoples” and non-Muslims ”the most vile of created beings”? And why should there not be fear of a faith whose founder, Muhammad, has proclaimed that “Islam is to dominate and not to be dominated”?

While the force says it has “paused” the guidance, the Free Speech Union sees no way in which it can return to it.

Reacting to the decision, Lord Young said this should serve as a warning to all other public bodies — especially police forces — considering adopting their own Islamophobia definition.

That “guidance” by the South Wales police is now dead in the water, thanks to Lord Young and the Free Speech Union. One hopes this will have a chilling effect on any public body in the UK that may try to impose a broader definition of anti-Muslim hostility, as a way to protect the faith, and its adherents, from legitimate criticism and the perfectly rational alarm that non-Muslims feel. It’s a victory for free speech and for common sense.