Robert Jenrick has warned that free speech is under threat in Britain as he attended the court case of a man accused of burning a Koran.
The Shadow Justice Secretary appeared at Southwark Crown Court to hear the appeal of Hamit Coskun, who was convicted over his destruction of the holy book.
Mr Coskun, 50, was found guilty after the incident outside the Turkish consulate in London as a religiously aggravated public order offence in June.
Brandishing the book engulfed in flames, the convict yelled abusive comments about Islam in Knightsbridge in February.
‘Free speech is under threat,’ Mr Jenrick warned
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GB NEWS
Asked why he attended the man’s court appeal on Thursday, the Shadow Justice Secretary explained: “I thought this was a very important case to come and hear the appeal of, but I do not agree with what Mr. Ruskin did.
“But I do not believe it’s a crime.
“Parliament made a very important decision 20 years ago to abolish our blasphemy laws, and we can’t allow them to be recreated by the back door inadvertently by our court service.”
“Free speech is under threat in our country, and we have to defend it at all costs,” Mr Jenrick vowed.
“And that sometimes means defending those who did things that you won’t condone yourself. You certainly wouldn’t do yourself, but which nonetheless are not crimes in this country.
“The case has been heard today. I very much hope that Mr. Koskinen will be found not guilty tomorrow.
Questioned over why he believes free speech is under threat across Britain, he told GB News: “Well, we’re seeing time and again instances where individuals who may have done something that was offensive or which most of us would not condone, brought before the courts.
“I think this is a case just like that,” he observed.
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“Parliament could not have been clearer 20 years ago that blasphemy is not a crime in this country, and I do not want to do or see anything that brings it back by the back door.”
After the Koran-burning case, a bill to increase the protections for the right to criticise religion was brought forward to Parliament in the weeks after.
Tory MP Nick Timothy put a Freedom Of Expression (Religion) Bill in the Commons after Mr Coskun was convicted.
“The Public Order Act has become Britain’s backdoor Islamic blasphemy law,” Mr Timothy warned, proposing his bill would “restore” free speech in the UK.
Mr Coskun appeared at Southwark Crown Court today
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PAThe move would extend section 29J of the Public Order Act to cover other parts of the law regarding offences driving harassment, alarm and distress to others.
Across the pond, Americans have reacted to the state of free speech in Britain.
Speaking to presenter Ben Leo on the very first night of GB News’ flagship US programme, The Late Show Live, senior advisor Kari Lake said: “You don’t have free speech [in the UK] right now.”
Hailing the People’s Channel for sharing “a lot of truth”, Ms Lake, who serves as Mr Trump’s senior advisor to the US Agency for Global Media, told Ben: “I’m actually glad that you’re here right now.”