Free Speech or Blasphemy? Court Conviction Sparks Outrage Over Koran Burning Case

 

A recent court ruling in the UK has reignited a national debate over the boundaries of free speech and the perceived resurgence of blasphemy laws, following the conviction of a man who burned a copy of the Koran during a protest in London. The case of 50-year-old Hamit Coskun has become a lightning rod for concerns about freedom of expression, especially in criticism of religion.

 

Sam Armstrong:
"We DO NOW have a blasphemy law in this country - that is the undeniable logic of this verdict."

🚨BLASPHEMY IS BACK IN UK

Hamut Coskun has been found GUILTY of a religious offence for burning a Koran.

Sam Armstrong:
"We DO NOW have a blasphemy law in this country - that is the undeniable logic of this verdict."

WATCH ⬇️#TwoTierJustice pic.twitter.com/QQZDQCdCI1

— Emily Wilding Davison🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧 (@Wommando) June 2, 2025

 

On February 13, Coskun, an atheist of Armenian-Kurdish descent, staged a protest outside the Turkish consulate in Knightsbridge. Holding a burning Koran above his head, he shouted phrases including “f--- Islam” and “Islam is religion of terrorism.” His actions sparked immediate outrage and provoked a violent response: a passerby attacked him, reportedly with a blade, and then began kicking him after he collapsed. Although the attacker admitted to the assault, he denied using a knife. His trial is set for 2027.

 

‘I was found guilty… for using my freedom of expression’

Koran-burning activist Hamit Coskin reacts to his conviction — insisting his slogans were backed by 25 years of study and that he was punished for criticising religion.

‘I’m an atheist, an Islam critic, and an activist.’

‘I was found guilty… for using my freedom of expression’

Koran-burning activist Hamit Coskin reacts to his conviction — insisting his slogans were backed by 25 years of study and that he was punished for criticising religion.

‘I’m an atheist, an Islam critic, and an activist.’ pic.twitter.com/EdbJL2FwGY

— GB News (@GBNEWS) June 2, 2025

 

Coskun was later charged under the Public Order Act for a religiously aggravated public order offence. Prosecutors claimed his actions were motivated “in part by hostility towards members of a religious group, namely followers of Islam.” At Westminster Magistrates’ Court, District Judge John McGarva found Coskun guilty, stating: “Your actions in burning the Koran where you did were highly provocative, and your actions were accompanied by bad language in some cases directed toward the religion and were motivated at least in part by hatred of followers of the religion.”

 

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. Reporting restrictions prevent the press from revealing his name, despite him being charged.

Why is this man being protected?

Today, Hamit Coskun was convicted of a religiously aggravated public order offence.

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.… pic.twitter.com/pXA99IqT1X

— Connor Tomlinson (@Con_Tomlinson) June 2, 2025

 

In his ruling, Judge McGarva dismissed the idea that the prosecution sought to revive blasphemy laws, which were formally abolished in the UK in 2008. “A decision needs to be made as to whether your conduct was simply you exercising your right to protest and freedom of speech or whether your behaviour crossed a line into criminal conduct,” he said. Addressing Coskun directly, he added, “You believe Islam is an ideology which encourages its followers to violence, paedophilia and a disregard for the rights of non-believers. You don’t distinguish between the two. I find you have a deep-seated hatred of Islam and its followers.”

 

Coskun, who is currently claiming asylum in the UK after fleeing persecution in Turkey, called the verdict “an assault on free speech” and questioned whether he would have faced prosecution had he burned a Bible outside Westminster Abbey. “Christian blasphemy laws were repealed in this country more than 15 years ago, and it cannot be right to prosecute someone for blaspheming against Islam,” he said. “As an activist, I will continue to campaign against the threat of Islam.”

 

His defence barrister, Katy Thorne KC, argued that the prosecution criminalised the public burning of any religious text, which she said was tantamount to the reintroduction of blasphemy laws. “It is effectively chilling the right of citizens to criticise religion,” she said, insisting that Coskun’s actions were directed at the religion itself, not its followers.

 

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) denied that the case was about blasphemy. Philip McGhee, representing the CPS, said, “He is being prosecuted for his disorderly behaviour in public.” He emphasized, “Nothing about the prosecution of this defendant for his words and actions has any impact on the ability of anyone to make any trenchant criticism of a religion.”

 

Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick sharply criticised the ruling, saying, “This decision is wrong. It revives a blasphemy law that parliament repealed. Free speech is under threat. I have no confidence in Two-Tier Keir to defend the rights of the public to criticise all religions.”

 

The National Secular Society and the Free Speech Union, which funded Coskun’s legal defence, have vowed to appeal. A spokesperson for the FSU said, “This is deeply disappointing. Everyone should be able to exercise their rights to protest peacefully and to freedom of expression, regardless of how offensive or upsetting it may be to some people.” They added, “Religious tolerance is an important British value, but it doesn’t require non-believers to respect the blasphemy codes of believers.”

 

Coskun has been ordered to pay a £240 fine. His legal team, along with the FSU and NSS, have signalled that they intend to take the case as far as the European Court of Human Rights, if necessary.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Telegraph | X  2025-06-04

 

 

Its cool to burn flags though. But upsetting someone's imaginary sky friend belief. Not on.

 

The world's mad.

Those Muslim folks need to get a sense of humor and not be so thin skinned.

Too  many considerations to the Muslim faith in the UK. 

With over 600 Mosques and Sharia Muslim courts it's time the UK Politicians  realised the threat of Muslim illegal immigration into the UK. 

Every boat is full of Muslim males. No families woman or children. 

14 minutes ago, jippytum said:

Every boat is full of Muslim males. No families woman or children. 

 

Women and children come later, adding to the tax burdens of the generous English tax-payers...

4 minutes ago, blazes said:

 

Women and children come later, adding to the tax burdens of the generous English tax-payers...

Agreed. Once we have provided suitable housing and benifits for the kids anf inlaws

The west is truly sick and weak and they will pay a price they will never forget later.

35 minutes ago, jippytum said:

Too  many considerations to the Muslim faith in the UK. 

With over 600 Mosques and Sharia Muslim courts it's time the UK Politicians  realised the threat of Muslim illegal immigration into the UK. 

Every boat is full of Muslim males. No families woman or children. 

The muslims have an agenda for the west... take it over via breeding.  

Did anyone ever try burning a bible? Did they get arrested too? Almost seems the UK has a 2 tier justice system which discriminates against traditional Brits while favoring newcomers. Funny that, wasnt it supposed to be a "conspiracy theory"?

10 minutes ago, koolkarl said:

The muslims have an agenda for the west... take it over via breeding.  

And you have actual example of that - see Kosovo, former part of Serbia. And it only took a few decades.

14 minutes ago, koolkarl said:

The muslims have an agenda for the west... take it over via breeding.  

 

My sister was told this in the playground by Lebanese Muslims girls when she was 16 years old. That was in South-West Sydney more than 30 years ago. They told her that they will outbreed us and take everything that we've got, yet many denialists are adamant that we are all just racists and Nazis etc because we oppose this agenda.

I'm a Baha'i. How would I feel if someone burned the Faith's holiest book out of the 100+ revealed by Baha'u'llah. I'd think, "What a disrespectful and ignorant person!" There's no need to jail him. He is ignorant of what he did, and he is consuming himself emotionally and ruining his health with his hatred and prejudice. I'd actually pray for him to achieve understanding and for God to forgive him. Getting upset about such acts is silly. His behaviour is between him and God. ... Moreover, the Baha'i Faith doesn't have any clergy, so there are no Mullah-like people to scream "Death to the infidel!" and to fire up people to kill the  Quran burner.

Those in the UK judiciary who are backing a Muslim takeover had better realize they will be the first to be done away with when it comes about.

Ok to burn the Union Jack  though - no repercussions!!! The people are turning they want their country back & so bloody right!!! 

It's becoming obvious that Muslims are too easily offended. Therefore they are incompatible with our society and they would be better off in an Islamic country.

I would appreciate if they also burned bibles. Koran and the bible are both fairy tale books, which should be listed as that and not scripts that command our lifes.

I truly feel sorry for the Brits. You guys are so forked. 

18 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

I truly feel sorry for the Brits. You guys are so forked. 

 

The impact of what the UK is becoming will be felt further afield than just the UK unfortunately.  The UK has nuclear weapons.  Those nuclear weapons can easily reach the USA.  Within a couple of generations the UK will be an Islamic country.   What the UK government is doing or allowing to happen is dangerous and irresponsible for the western world. 

8 hours ago, koolkarl said:

The muslims have an agenda for the west... take it over via breeding.  

I have said this for decades. You win a war from within and without firing a bullet. 

8 hours ago, blazes said:

 

Women and children come later, adding to the tax burdens of the generous English tax-payers...

 

.....who generously shouldered the expense of sending warships and bombers to the middle east to drop bombs and missiles, destroying civilian infrastructure and factories, in furtherance of regime change.

 

overthrow stable, secular regimes and then install moderate headchoppers, and many will flee.

 

"you broke it, you bought it."

Didn't know the UK still had blasphemy down as a crime. Maybe they invented it ad hoc, like they did eg "grooming".

These people who burn religious texts just to provoke some group they hate clearly have a screw loose and should be locked up for a long time. That's not normal behaviour.

7 hours ago, James105 said:

 

The impact of what the UK is becoming will be felt further afield than just the UK unfortunately.  The UK has nuclear weapons.  Those nuclear weapons can easily reach the USA.  Within a couple of generations the UK will be an Islamic country.   What the UK government is doing or allowing to happen is dangerous and irresponsible for the western world. 

 

 

It will be stopped before that happens, the British have woken up and are fighting back.

 

Marches and strikes are rising, and it isn't extreme right, these are normal working class white and black British-born people 

 

I can't see Labour going to a full parliamentary term and then the REFORM UK party will be in, and they are making massive gains amongst mainstream society.

 

People are sick of Conservatives and Labour, as well as migrants and Pakistani grooming gangs.

 

The fightback is already underway.

 

Furthermore, it won't be an Islamic UK in the next couple of generations.

 

Yes of course, under this pathetic, weak excuse of a Labour government, Pakistani Muslims are getting in to high government positions, under the umbrella of ' diversity ', but it won't last.

 

The current LEGAL official Muslim count of the UK population is around 6%- 7% of the population.

On 6/4/2025 at 2:12 PM, tomazbodner said:

And you have actual example of that - see Kosovo, former part of Serbia. And it only took a few decades.

They can't take the west by military means so they eventually will form their own political party to get rid of infidels. 

On 6/4/2025 at 2:18 PM, zz4096 said:

 

My sister was told this in the playground by Lebanese Muslims girls when she was 16 years old. That was in South-West Sydney more than 30 years ago. They told her that they will outbreed us and take everything that we've got, yet many denialists are adamant that we are all just racists and Nazis etc because we oppose this agenda.

There you are.  Muslims have been and still are brainwashed for decades in schools and mosques.  How do you think a suicide bomber is created? The west is being sucked in, hook, line and sinker.  The koran states, all infidels must die.. includes you and me.

16 hours ago, Cameroni said:

These people who burn religious texts just to provoke some group they hate clearly have a screw loose and should be locked up for a long time. That's not normal behaviour.

 

For once I agree with you. 

 

It is provocation; it isn't normal behaviour and these types of people probably do have a screw loose. Lock them up for a long time? Possibly, depending on the circumstances.

 

Equally, the lunatic who appeared brandishing a knife and assaulted the protester also wasn't acting normally and is arguably more of a danger to society.

 

Provocation isn't just limited to the burning of religious texts. What about the burning of a national flag? I am not being flippant but what about the burning of a football shirt? Many supporters would see that as provocation. Where do we draw the line?

 

In any event, there must be numerous laws under which they can be prosecuted.

19 minutes ago, RayC said:

 

For once I agree with you. 

 

It is provocation; it isn't normal behaviour and these types of people probably do have a screw loose. Lock them up for a long time? Possibly, depending on the circumstances.

 

Equally, the lunatic who appeared brandishing a knife and assaulted the protester also wasn't acting normally and is arguably more of a danger to society.

 

Provocation isn't just limited to the burning of religious texts. What about the burning of a national flag? I am not being flippant but what about the burning of a football shirt? Many supporters would see that as provocation. Where do we draw the line?

 

In any event, there must be numerous laws under which they can be prosecuted.

 

It's a small step from attacking people in this way, provoking people and then to stab them, drive a car into a christmas market.  These people are clearly sociopathatic.

As there is no God there can be no prosecution for blasphemy.

59 minutes ago, koolkarl said:

There you are.  Muslims have been and still are brainwashed for decades in schools and mosques.  How do you think a suicide bomber is created? The west is being sucked in, hook, line and sinker.  The koran states, all infidels must die.. includes you and me.

 

Yeah that's why I fled South-West Sydney for Thailand. Hopefully this country never suffers from the mental degradation that has allowed Western countries to be flooded by people who despise their way of life and plan to replace it with their hateful ideology when the population hits critical mass.

 

PS. I have spent a lot of time in Jakarta, Indonesia and a limited amount of time in Malaysia. So I've seen first-hand how awful it is. Prior to visiting those countries I knew almost nothing about Islam and had no pre-conceptions, in case any bleeding heart accuses me of racism or wherever their latest buzzword is.

17 minutes ago, zz4096 said:

Yeah that's why I fled South-West Sydney for Thailand. Hopefully this country never suffers from the mental degradation that has allowed Western countries to be flooded by people who despise their way of life

 

You do realise the irony of this statement?