Campaigners have warned Sharia law is being brought to the streets of Britain following the case of a man who burned a Quran at the memorial to the Manchester Arena bombing victims. The man admitted a racially aggravated public order offence after he
was filmed tearing pages from the Islamic religious book and setting them alight on Saturday. He had publicised the event online beforehand, and it was streamed on social media. He was filmed tearing pages from the Quran and setting them alight whilst
holding an Israeli flag. The case has since been criticised by free speech campaigners, however, who have warned it could also leave Frost at risk of retaliation. Stephen Evans, chief executive of the National Secular Society, told The Telegraph:
[The case] brings us perilously close to reinstating blasphemy laws.
The man's name, date of birth and the borough where he lives were all disgracefully published by Greater Manchester Police on X
in a post announcing he had been charged. In a letter to the force, Lord Young, general secretary of the Free Speech Union raised concerns about the defendant's safety as a consequence. He claimed that the case should never have been a police
matter, adding the decision to name the man 'may well have placed him in great jeopardy. District Judge Margaret McCormack asked for a pre-sentence report and adjourned sentencing. She told the man: The Quran is
a sacred book to Muslims and treating it as you did is going to cause extreme distress. This is a tolerant country ...BUT... we just do not tolerate this behaviour.
She bailed Frost on condition he does not post anything
further on social media and will pass sentence on April 29. |