A Sudanese asylum seeker who threatened a Christian preacher with a knife at Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park is facing jail.
Ahmed Mohammed, 35, who arrived in the UK from Sudan in 2012, was at the famous site while Daniel Ayettey was stood on a ladder and preaching to the crowd on May 25.
Mohammed tried to drag the preacher off the ladder before brandishing a knife at him.
The Sudanese national, who has 29 convictions for 67 offences in the UK, screamed: ‘I’m going to stab you.’
There had been a previous incident between the two men about religion before Mohammed asked Ayettey: ‘What would you like to happen in my life?’
The preacher had responded: ‘I would like to have the Lord in your life.’
Nicholas Mesure, prosecuting, told Southwark crown court: ‘That seemed to be the catalyst as it very quickly changed Mr Mohammed’s demeanour and he became very angry.
‘There were a number of people, including Muslims, who were aware of Mr Mohammed and they tried to persuade Mr Ayettey not to call the police.’
Ahmed Mohammed, 35, threatened a preacher at Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park in London
Police arrested Mohammed who refused to be interviewed, Mr Mesure said.
The migrant had applied to the Home Office for indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
Mohammed appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Friday wearing a grey jumper with a white scarf.
He denied but was convicted of one count of threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a public place.
Mohammed pleaded guilty to three separate counts of theft from a shop from Sainsbury’s in Marble Arch just weeks before the incident on May 3.
He was also convicted of one count of failing to comply with a community protection notice.
However his sentence was adjourned for the third time as a report was still not ready.
Judge Nigel Sangster KC said: ‘Probation in court say they have known him since 2024 but that he has never engaged in any alcohol report since December.
Mohammed was convicted at Southwark Crown Court and will be sentenced at a later date
‘There is no ATR report. This case will be adjourned.’
Mohammed, of no fixed address, was remanded in custody and will next appear at the same court for sentencing on January 16.
In 2024, Islamist extremist Edward Little was jailed for life for planning to kill a Christian preacher at Speakers’ Corner.
Speakers’ Corner was created by an Act of Parliament in 1872. The Royal Parks website states: ‘Historic figures such as Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin and George Orwell were known to often use the area to demonstrate free speech.
In July 2021, Christian preacher Hatun Tash was attacked and stabbed at Speakers’ Corner for wearing a T-shirt with a cartoon from Charlie Hebdo, the French magazine targeted by Islamist extremists.
Edward Little, a British-born muslim convert, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 16 years for the attack.
