Court Convicts Man for Burning Quran in London
(MENAFN) A man has been found guilty of a religiously aggravated public order offence after igniting a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish Consulate in London.
The incident has once again sparked discussions over the boundaries of freedom of expression and the fine line that separates protest from hate-fueled actions.
Hamit Coskun, aged 50, was charged after he reportedly shouted anti-Islamic slogans while setting fire to the Quran, the sacred text of Islam, in Knightsbridge, located in the western part of London, back in February.
On Monday, District Judge John McGarva determined that Coskun’s behavior was “motivated at least in part by hostility towards Muslims” and deemed his conduct “was not a reasonable exercise” of his entitlements under the European Convention on Human Rights.
In delivering the ruling, McGarva stated: "Your actions in burning the Koran where you did were highly provocative, and your actions were accompanied by abusive language in some cases directed toward the religion and were motivated at least in part by hatred of followers of the religion."
Coskun claimed his actions were an expression of his "right of freedom of speech."
The episode drew significant attention across the UK after a video capturing the event spread rapidly on various social media platforms.
Nonetheless, the judge dismissed Coskun's justification, asserting that he "clearly holds a deep-seated hatred of Islam and its followers. His attempt to distinguish between the religion and its adherents was not sustainable.”
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