Brixton Prison’s Inmates Are Forced to Convert to Islam for Protection Behind Bars
Charlie Bayliss, Daily Mail, February 11, 2018
A prison chaplain who claims he was ousted from his role after he was accused of promoting ‘extreme’ Christian views by his Muslim boss has revealed inmates are being forced to convert to Islam for protection behind bars.
Paul Song said he had been hit by Muslim inmates at HMP Brixton and that he believed the ‘Christian faith is not equal’ in prison.
The 48-year-old said: ‘Some people have been forced to convert with violence. How do I know? Because three or four people come up to me to tell me. This is a very sensitive issue.’
One prisoner has come forward and made a signed statement that prisoners were forced to convert to Islam after serving time in 2015.
Paul Song says he was removed from his job at Brixton prison in south London amid accusations that his teachings were ‘too radical’
The former police officer maintains the sacking was also on the basis of false accusations from a Muslim inmate, who said Mr Song referred to him a ‘terrorist’.
Mr Song said his position at HMP Brixton came under scrutiny after Mohammed Yusuf Ahmed became managing chaplain in 2015.
He told the Sunday Express: ‘I never said those things. I would never make those comments. I have worked in the prisons for many years with many faiths and there were no complaints.
‘They made a wrong allegation and I didn’t know what was happening when I got an email telling me to come back.’
He claimed the imam told him he was intent on changing ‘the Christian domination’ within HMP Brixton, according to the Sunday Times.
Management said it sacked the 48-year-old following ‘allegations of misconduct’, and that Mr Ahmed had accused him of ‘being unfavourable to the Christians’.
Mr Song, who now works as a pastor in Sutton, south London, was removed from his post in August.
He says he was offered no evidence to support the claims against him and was informed by the Ministry of Justice that he could work ‘anywhere but HMP Brixton’.
A prison service spokesperson told the MailOnline: ‘We do not comment on individual members of staff.
‘However, we recognise the importance of faith and the positive impact that it can have on the lives of offenders, which is why there are multi-faith chaplaincy teams in every prison.’
