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| Five men guilty of parade threats | Five men guilty of parade threats |
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| Five Muslim men who protested at a home-coming parade in Luton where soldiers were called murderers have been found guilty of making threats. | Five Muslim men who protested at a home-coming parade in Luton where soldiers were called murderers have been found guilty of making threats. |
| The charges related to a march through the town in March 2009, a judge at Luton Magistrates' Court heard. | The charges related to a march through the town in March 2009, a judge at Luton Magistrates' Court heard. |
| The five men, all from Luton, were convicted of using threatening, abusive or insulting words and behaviour likely to cause harassment and distress. | The five men, all from Luton, were convicted of using threatening, abusive or insulting words and behaviour likely to cause harassment and distress. |
| Two of the protesters have been cleared of all charges. | Two of the protesters have been cleared of all charges. |
| Citizens of Luton are entitled to demonstrate their support for the troops without experiencing insults and abuse District Judge Carolyn Mellanby | |
| Jalal Ahmed, 21, Yousaf Bashir, 29, Ziaur Rahman, 32, Shajjadar Choudhury, 31, Munim Abdul, 28, were found guilty. | |
| Ibrahim Anderson, 32, and Jubair Ahmed, 19, who are also from Luton, were found not guilty. All had denied the charges. | |
| In finding five men guilty District Judge Carolyn Mellanby said: "I have no doubt it is abusive and insulting to tell soldiers to 'Go to hell' - to call soldiers murderers, rapists and baby killers." | |
| "It is not just insulting to the soldiers but to the citizens of Luton who were out on the streets that day to honour and welcome soldiers home. | |
| "Citizens of Luton are entitled to demonstrate their support for the troops without experiencing insults and abuse." | |
| 'Freedom of speech' | |
| She went on: "The fact that they say they did not intend their remarks to be insulting does not amount to defence in law. | |
| "They were fully aware that shocking phrases in such circumstances would inevitably cause distress." | |
| Defence lawyers had argued the right to freedom of speech was at stake. | |
| Earlier in the day Jubair Ahmed's lawyer used philosopher Voltaire's views on freedom of speech to defend him. | |
| In her closing speech for his defence Sonal Dashani said: "Voltaire said 'I disagree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it.' | |
| "That was in the 18th Century. Things have moved on since then, though perhaps not as quickly as one might have liked. | |
| "If you believe in freedom of speech you have to accept that some things will be said that you will like and some things will be said that you will not like." | |
| Angry scenes broke out during the parade for the 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, known as The Poachers. | |
| Lawyers defending the men said their clients discussed their plans to protest with police beforehand, had agreed to a time and a place to do so with them, had complied with police throughout and officers had not objected at the time to their slogans. |