Man arrested in England for allegedly burning Koran
By ANIFriday, January 21, 2011
CARLISLE - A 32-year-old man has been arrested after a Koran was allegedly burned during an anti-Islam rant in Carlisle, England.
The arrest came after a man was reported to have stood on a street in Carlisle city centre on Wednesday, loudly making pronouncements against the Muslim religion in front of a large crowd.
The man is then alleged to have set fire to a Koran he was holding, before discarding it and hurrying away, the Scotsman reported.
A spokesman for Cumbria Police confirmed the arrest.
The incident comes a day after controversial US preacher pastor Terry Jones was barred from entering the United Kingdom.
Pastor Jones had earlier last year caused an outrage when he announced plans by his Florida-based church to burn copies of the Koran to mark the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on America.
He had been invited to England to address an English Defence League (EDL) rally in Luton in February.
However, the Home Office has decided that his presence in country ‘is not conducive to the public good’.
Jones’ son, pastor Luke Jones, had earlier expressed surprise that his father’s visit had been banned.
“Our protests are against a book, the Koran - people are not our target. We should all be able to voice our opinion in a peaceful way,” pastor Luke had said. (ANI)
