Man Convicted for Koran-Burning Outside London Consulate, Appeals Planned

Hamit Coskun, a 50-year-old man from Derby, was found guilty at Westminster Magistrates’ Court of a religiously aggravated public order offence after burning a Koran outside the Turkish consulate in London and shouting inflammatory remarks against Islam. District Judge John McGarva described Coskun's actions as "highly provocative" and motivated at least partly by hatred towards Muslims, leading to a £240 fine plus a statutory surcharge. Coskun, who is half Kurdish and half Armenian and has sought asylum in the UK, argued that his protest was an exercise of free speech, a position supported by the National Secular Society and the Free Speech Union which are funding his legal fees. The incident was recorded on video, showing Coskun being confronted and attacked by a man with a bladed object, highlighting the tensions surrounding the event. Coskun claims his actions were driven by concerns over what he sees as the "Islamification" of Turkey and his belief that the Koran encourages terrorism, based on his 25 years of study of the text. This case has sparked debate about the limits of free expression in relation to religious sensitivities and the legal boundaries of public order offenses.