A man was arrested in the United Kingdom after footage of him burning a copy of the Quran was live-streamed on social media, raising concerns about the rise of blasphemy laws across Europe following a series of Quran-burning protests in Sweden and Denmark.
@DigitalVagrant arrested today after setting the qur’an on fire in Manchester #Quran #manchester @ThorpeWatch @liamtuffs1 pic.twitter.com/hBHoJqEjoQ
— The Nowhere Photographer (@thenowherephoto) February 1, 2025
A video posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) shows a man standing in the Glade of Light, the memorial in Manchester commemorating victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombings, near Victoria Station.
He was then seen setting fire to the pages of the Islamic holy book while another man approached and attempted to steal the book from his hands. The 47-year-old man was then arrested and pleaded guilty after being charged with racially or religiously aggravated intentional harassment or harm, according to the Greater Manchester Police (GMP). The man remains in custody for questioning.
“We understand the deep concern this will cause within some of our diverse communities and are aware of a live video circulating.” Assistant Chief Constable Stephanie Parker of the GMP said.
“We made a swift arrest at the time and recognize the right people have for freedom of expression, but when this crosses into intimidation to cause harm or distress, we will always look to take action when it is reported to us.,” she added.
The defendant, who was named on social media following his arrest, told officers he burned a copy of the Quran to show his solidarity with Salwan Momika, an Iraqi-Swedish refugee who was shot dead on January 29th ahead of a verdict of his trial for burning copies of the Islamic holy book on at least four occasions.
Momika’s Quran-burning demonstrations in Sweden sparked a diplomatic crisis between the Nordic country, known for its strong freedom of expression laws, and Muslim nations, who pressured Stockholm into outlawing Quran-burning acts. The incident also led to the storming of the Swedish Embassy by angry demonstrators in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, resulting in the embassy being burned down.
Is burning a book illegal? If the police are going to say it is if it's a Quran, then they are enforcing Islamic law in the UK, and people are not going to stand for that.
— R S Brynin, Anglo-Jewish Author (@robertbrynin) February 1, 2025
The court also heard how the defendant suffered poor mental health following the death of his daughter during the war in Gaza. The man’s arrest raised concerns over the rise of de facto blasphemy laws in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe.
“We don’t know all the facts and so can’t speak for the motives of those involved. But the destruction of a religious text, like any other form of “blasphemy”, should not in itself be a crime. No disrespect or damage to a “sacred” text can ever justify violence against a human being.” A spokesperson for Humanists UK has said.
“The freedom of expression held by private individuals rightly includes forms of expression that others find distasteful or offensive, as long as no person is harmed.” The spokesperson added.
What a shame they wasn’t so enthusiastic when investigating child rapists
— Trading Places (@Ajcts) February 1, 2025
Humanists UK also raised concerns about the fact that the GMP published the suspect’s name on social media, given the “long-lasting threat to his life that will predictably follow” after the incident.
