England Continues Crackdown on Anti-Religious Speech: Former British Soldier Sentenced To Jail For Burning Koran

A former soldier in England has been sentenced to 70 days in prison for burning a copy of the Koran (Qu’ran) in public. While a detestable act, the prosecution of individuals for the exercise of free speech is equally detestable and part of a growing trend of such prosecutions in the West under blasphemy or hate crime laws.

England has been a leader in the crackdown on free speech — arresting and prosecuting people for speaking out against particular religious or other groups (here and here and here and here).

Notably, Ryan could have been charged with simply stealing the Koran and burning an object without a permit. Yet, prosecutors went as well for a charge of “religiously aggravated harassment” against the 32-year-old former soldier. He burning the book after he was outraged by the scene of a Muslim burning a poppy on Remembrance Day.

District Judge Gerald Chalk called it a case of “theatrical bigotry”. On that I would agree. However, I would not call burning a religious book a crime.

Ryan was still clearly upset about what he viewed as a double standard when he was sentenced, shouting “What about my country? What about burning poppies?”

Source: BBC

Jonathan Turley