Overview
- The Charity Commission, which issued an official warning on Thursday, told the Lewisham Islamic Centre to review and enforce a robust events and speakers policy and warned it could take further regulatory action if standards are not met.
- The regulator’s finding followed complaints and adverse media coverage about two sermons, one in October 2023 that accused 'Zionists' of causing Palestinian suffering and named public figures, and a second in August 2024 that linked 'Zionists' to organisers of far‑right rioting.
- The Commission concluded its compliance case found misconduct or mismanagement connected to the sermons and identified weak risk assessment and due diligence around external speakers that put the charity’s reputation at risk.
- The mosque has rejected the regulator’s findings, said it is seeking legal advice, framed the warning as interference with religious worship and solidarity with Palestine, and indicated it may challenge the decision in court.
- The case highlights a wider legal tension over UK charity rules that bar political purposes for charities and raises the prospect of more enforcement across faith organisations and legal tests over where religious speech becomes prohibited political activity.