David Vance SubstackRead More
Well, for once we got a judgement from a UK Court that warrants three cheers. This relates to a man called Hamit Coskun. He was fined for burning a copy of the Koran outside the Turkish consulate in London but who has now won his appeal against his conviction.
Here’s the potted history!
Coskun shouted abusive comments about Islam as he held the flaming book aloft in Rutland Gardens, Knightsbridge, on 13 February. In June, he was found guilty at Westminster Magistrates’ Court of a religiously aggravated public order offence and fined £240.
At Southwark Crown Court on Friday, Mr Justice Bennathan said that while burning a Quran might be something “many Muslims find desperately upsetting and offensive”, the right to freedom of expression “must include the right to express views that offend, shock or disturb”. The judge added: “We live in a liberal democracy. One of the precious rights that affords us is to express our own views and read, hear and consider ideas without the state intervening to stop us doing so.
I agree with Justice Bennathan. You see I personally don’t think it’s right to burn ANY book, and that includes the Koran, but if someone wants to do so, that is them exercising their views without state intervention.
So I support the right to do us without State censure. Burn away.
Why did he burn it? Well, in his own words….
“Some may say that book-burning is a poor substitute for reasoned debate. I would counter that it was a symbolic, non-violent form of expression intended to draw attention to the ongoing move from the secularism of my country of birth to a regime which embraces hardline Islam”
He’s talking about Turkey, of course.
The man who attacked Coskun on camera, and said
“You’re a f***ing idiot … burn the Quran… I’m going to f***ing kill you now”, has denied weilding a knife. He won’t be tried till 2027.
Here is the incident concerned…
It is obvious that some Muslims get very angry when they see their holy book going up in flames but we don’t live in a Muslim country, we don’t have blasphemy laws, and they are going to have to deal with that without resorting to violence.
Or remove themselves from our country.
They can choose.
