“Without the FSU, I wouldn’t be where I am now. The FSU have been absolutely fantastic. They’ve backed me all the way.” Stephen Gray was a police officer who gave 27 years of service to his force. Never did he imagine that one day the police would knock on his own door over a joke he had reposted on Facebook. The post featured an image of a man in a turban alongside a rasher of bacon, with the caption: “Fun facts about bacon! People who eat bacon have a lower chance of marrying a 9-year-old!” It was a reference to the Prophet Muhammad’s marriage to Aisha, who was six when they married and nine when the marriage was consummated. It was a joke, but one that sought to highlight the serious issue of child marriage. In April, Stephen was found guilty of sending a “grossly offensive” communication — a criminal offence under Section 127 of the Communications Act 2003. He was ordered to pay around £1,100 in fines and costs and now has a criminal record. This is absolutely crazy. How can this happen in a country that abolished its blasphemy laws in 2008? We cannot allow the Government, the judiciary and law enforcement to revive Britain’s blasphemy laws for Islam alone via the back door. This is truly one of the most shocking cases we have seen at the FSU. The Free Speech Union is helping Stephen appeal his conviction and has instructed top criminal silk John Beggs KC to act for him. With your support, @SpeechUnion hope to pay for Stephen’s legal defence in the Crown Court and meet the costs of any further appeals. Please donate to Stephen’s fundraiser via the link in the comments. Watch Stephen tell his story below 👇