Britain’s Northamptonshire Police have dropped their case against Conservative Councilor Anthony Stephens, who was charged with a hate crime for expressing his support for free speech, Premier Christian News reports.

So what caused the police to show up at Stephen’s home and arrest him on Aug. 8, 2023?

Apparently it revolved around some tweets he had posted on X where Stephens was critical of the suspension of another councilor, King Lawall, over comments he expressed on LGBT issues.

Stephens had also retweeted a video which criticized the police’s treatment of a street preacher.

“Yes, I have been vindicated, and I am relieved that no further action will be taken, but look what I have been put through. My reputation, business, health and even my relationships, have been seriously affected by this abuse of police power,” Stephens said in response to the announcement.

“In a true democratic society, you cannot have people being arrested for a few tweets. We must have debate; we must have the freedom to criticise and offend each other; otherwise this country is heading towards a very dark place,” Stephens added.

Though I basically agree with Stephens’ last comment, I would disagree with him on one point. He said Britain is “heading towards a very dark place.” I would suggest it has already arrived.

Over the past several years, police have arrested several street preachers in the country for hate crimes, who have not only been found not guilty by the courts, but even received payouts for their false arrests.

Though they were ultimately vindicated, as Stephens revealed, the arrest process is punishment in itself.

READ: Tory councillor arrested for ‘hate crime’ after supporting Christian free speech sees case dropped