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30-821: A group of vigilantes calling themselves " Muslim patrols " patrolled the streets in East London from 2013 to 2014. The individuals were young Sunni Muslim men, members of an organisation that called itself the " Shariah Project ". Early in 2013, videos of their activities, filmed by members of the patrol, were uploaded online: these showed hooded members confronting passers-by and demanding that they behave in an Islamic way. They targeted prostitutes , people drinking alcohol , couples who were holding hands, women whom they considered to be dressed immodestly , and harassed others whom they perceived as being gay . Five men were arrested in January 2013 as part of an investigation into

60-551: A "hostile and discriminatory outside society", and have turned to their faith to forge a separate identity. In response to the "Muslim Patrols", the far-right organisation Britain First established "Christian Patrols" in East London. The Christian Patrols reportedly rode through the area in "armoured Land Rover vehicles" and handed out literature marked with a red Christian cross . A Christian leader Rev. Alan Green, as well as

90-462: A Muslim leader Dilowar Khan, both condemned Christian and Muslim patrols. In April 2014 two news documentaries were produced about the ongoing Sharia patrols: their respective presenters, Lama Hasan of ABC News and Alex Miller of Vice News , each accompanied a patrol in action. Alex Miller, reflecting on the difference between the evidence presented by the Youtube videos and what he observed of

120-461: A community." Les Johnston argues that vigilantism has six necessary components: Vigilantism and the vigilante ethos existed long before the word vigilante was introduced into the English language. There are conceptual parallels between the medieval aristocratic custom of private war or vendetta and the modern vigilante philosophy. Elements of the concept of vigilantism can be found in

150-491: A fight in a public place, or takes part in a fight of such a nature as to alarm the public in any other place to which the public have access, commits a misdemeanour. Maximum penalty—1 year’s imprisonment." In Victoria , Affray was a common law offence until 2017, when it was abolished and was replaced with the statutory offence that can be found under section 195H of the Crimes Act 1958 (Vic). The section defines Affray as

180-616: A man walking in Whitechapel . The gang shouted at a man who appeared to be wearing make-up that he is "in a Muslim area dressed like a fag " and must leave. One gang member orders the man: "Get out of here quicker. You're dirty mate." After the victim says that he is a homosexual, he is repeatedly prompted to say that he is "dirty". Their last video featured the gang saying: "We are coming to implement Islam upon your own necks. Muslim patrols can never be stopped." The videos were removed from YouTube in January 2013 because they contravened

210-462: A person will be guilty of affray if he or she threatens unlawful violence towards another and his or her conduct is such as would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at the scene to fear for his or her personal safety. A person will only be guilty of affray if the person intends to use or threaten violence or is aware that his or her conduct may be violent or threaten violence. The maximum penalty for an offence of affray contrary to section 93C

240-561: Is a period of imprisonment of 10 years. In Queensland , section 72 of the Criminal Code of 1899 defines affray as taking part in a fight in a public highway or taking part in a fight of such a nature as to alarm the public in any other place to which the public have access. This definition is taken from that in the English Criminal Code Bill of 1880, cl. 96. Section 72 says "Any person who takes part in

270-522: Is a person who practices or partakes in vigilantism, or undertakes public safety and retributive justice without commission. The term is borrowed from Italian vigilante , which means 'sentinel' or 'watcher', from Latin vigilāns . According to political scientist Regina Bateson, vigilantism is "the extralegal prevention, investigation, or punishment of offenses." The definition has three components: Other scholars have defined "collective vigilantism" as "group violence to punish perceived offenses to

300-558: Is for one of these offences that they are usually charged. The common law offence of affray was abolished for England and Wales on 1 April 1987. Affray is now a statutory offence that is triable either way . It is created by section 3 of the Public Order Act 1986 which provides: The term "violence" is defined by section 8. Section 3(6) once provided that a constable could arrest without warrant anyone he reasonably suspected to be committing affray, but that subsection

330-424: Is imprisonment for 5 years or, if at the time of committing the offence the person was wearing a face covering used primarily to conceal their identity or to protect them from the effects of crowd-controlling substances, imprisonment for 7 years. The Indian Penal Code (sect. 159) adopts the old English common law definition of affray, with the substitution of "actual disturbance of the peace for causing terror to

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360-719: The lieges ". In New Zealand affray has been codified as "fighting in a public place" by section 7 of the Summary Offences Act 1981 . Under the Roman-Dutch law in force in South Africa affray falls within the definition of vis publica . In the United States, the English common law as to affray applies, subject to certain modifications by the statutes of particular states. [REDACTED]   This article incorporates text from

390-589: The East London Mosque where videos were made of members of the patrol harassing members of the public at night when the mosque was closed. The patrol targeted a heterosexual couple in Bethnal Green for holding hands, shouting at them to stop because they were in "a Muslim area." Just weeks later, the patrol picked on five friends who were drinking in the street because it was "Allah's land"; 19-year-old Islamic convert Jordan Horner threatened to stab

420-510: The Sharia patrols. He spoke in public before several supporters known to take part in these patrols, including at meetings held early in 2014, and praised as "commendable" the actions of the convicted members of the Sharia patrol. The Central Criminal Court heard evidence concerning incidents involving the patrol which took place in Shoreditch , Bethnal Green , and in Whitechapel outside

450-640: The Sicilian Vendicatori and the Beati Paoli ), a type of early vigilante organization, which became extremely powerful in Westphalian Germany during the 15th century. In some regions of Mexico, mainly in the state of Michoacan , people affected by criminal groups like Los Zetas and La Familia Michoacana , created vigilante groups called Grupos de autodefensa comunitaria in 2013. Their most notorious leader Hipólito Mora ,

480-662: The activities that led to their conviction and from associating with Choudary. Maajid Nawaz , himself a Muslim and the head of an anti-extremist organisation, the Quilliam Foundation , warned that Muslim patrols could become a "lot more dangerous", and if joined by jihadis , might even kill or maim people. A writer for the International Business Times suggested that these "radical Muslim youths determined to impose their views of public conduct and morality" felt alienated from what they consider

510-563: The biblical account in Genesis 34 of the abduction and rape (or, by some interpretations, seduction) of Dinah , the daughter of Jacob , in the Canaanite city of Shechem by the eponymous son of the ruler, and the violent reaction of her brothers Simeon and Levi , who slew all of the males of the city in revenge, rescued their sister and plundered Shechem. When Jacob protested that their actions might bring trouble upon him and his family,

540-589: The brothers replied "Should he [i.e., Shechem] treat our sister as a harlot?" In the Western literary and cultural tradition, characteristics of vigilantism have often been vested in folkloric heroes and outlaws (e.g., Robin Hood ). During medieval times, punishment of felons was sometimes exercised by such secret societies as the courts of the Vehm ( cf. the medieval Sardinian Gamurra later become Barracelli ,

570-420: The gang confronted people, shouting "this is a Muslim area" at them. The hooded men are seen forcing people to empty their alcoholic drinks down drains, and instructing a group of women that "they need to forbid themselves from dressing like this and exposing themselves outside the mosque". A second video, beginning with a logo saying "Islam will take over the world", showed the gang shouting homophobic abuse at

600-426: The gang. In December 2013, three of them pleaded guilty to affray , and were subsequently jailed. The Muslim East London Mosque community condemned the patrols as "utterly unacceptable" In response to the attacks, British nationalist organisation Britain First established "Christian Patrols". One video uploaded to YouTube by the gang, "The Truth About Saturday Night", was viewed more than 42,000 times. In it,

630-543: The men, while one of the patrol members shouted "kill the non-believers". Three of the patrol members were convicted in November, and were sentenced on 6 December 2013. Jordan Horner, who uses the Islamic name Jamaal Uddin, pleaded guilty to two charges of assault and two charges of using threatening words and behaviour, and was sentenced to 68 weeks imprisonment. Thirty-six-year-old Ricardo MacFarlane who pleaded not guilty,

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660-506: The patrol he followed around Ilford , commented: "this PR-friendly walk through the neighbourhood was pretty different from the country's first look at the Muslim patrols". Interviewed by Alex Miller, Abu Rumaysah said: "We don't recognise British law at all. We believe in Islam. We believe in Sharia. And that's what sets our parameters for right and wrong." Vigilante A vigilante

690-458: The patrols as "utterly unacceptable and clearly designed to stoke tensions and sow discord." They said the mosque was "committed to building co-operation and harmony between all communities in this borough." Gay rights group Stonewall said: "This incident is yet another reminder of the homophobic abuse that gay people face all too often." The arrested patrollers were members of The Shariah Project. The organisation's co-founder, Abu Rumaysah, told

720-480: The press the arrested men would be welcomed back despite their convictions at the Central Criminal Court . An East London Mosque official, speaking of the patrols, identified The Shariah Project as "strongly linked" to Anjem Choudary 's group Al-Muhajiroun . Several media reports have since identified the Sharia patrols as part of a network of followers of Anjem Choudary. Choudary himself condoned

750-560: The problem of drunken or violent individuals who cause serious trouble on airliners . In R v Childs & Price (2015), the Court of Appeal quashed a murder verdict and replaced it with affray, having dismissed an allegation of common purpose. Affray is a serious offence for the purposes of Chapter 3 of the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2008 . In New South Wales , section 93C of Crimes Act 1900 defines that

780-494: The site’s policies on harassment, bullying and threatening behaviour. Scotland Yard investigated the videos and the Metropolitan Police stepped up patrols in East London. A police spokesman said they were in contact with "local community leaders and influential people, local businesses and the local authority about the issue and what is being done". Five men were later arrested. The East London Mosque condemned

810-438: The use or threat of unlawful violence by a person in a manner that would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at the scene to be terrified. However, a person who commits this conduct may only be found guilty of Affray if the use or threat of violence was intended, or if the person was reckless as to whether the conduct involves the use or threat of violence. If found guilty, the maximum penalty that may be imposed for Affray

840-535: Was assassinated in 2023. Affray In many legal jurisdictions related to English common law , affray is a public order offence consisting of the fighting of one or more persons in a public place to the terror (in French : à l'effroi ) of ordinary people. Depending on their actions, and the laws of the prevailing jurisdiction, those engaged in an affray may also render themselves liable to prosecution for assault , unlawful assembly , or riot ; if so, it

870-524: Was repealed by paragraph 26(2) of Schedule 7 to, and Schedule 17 to, the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 , which includes more general provisions for police to make arrests without warrant. The mens rea of affray is that person is guilty of affray only if he intends to use or threaten violence or is aware that his conduct may be violent or threaten violence. The offence of affray has been used by HM Government to address

900-412: Was sentenced to one year for affray and two years for using threatening words and behaviour. 23-year-old Royal Barnes, who was awaiting further trial regarding offensive videos about Lee Rigby and therefore could not be named at the time, pleaded guilty and received a six-month sentence for affray. In February 2014 Horner, McFarlane and Barnes were given anti-social behaviour orders barring them from

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