Max Thompson: Britain is on course for a blasphemy law by the back door, and a recent case might open it
This affects the entire country.
Max Thompson is Campaigns Officer, for the The Free Speech Union.
If the Crown Prosecution Service gets their way, we could very well be living in a country with an Islamic blasphemy law.
Last February, Hamit Coskun burned a Quran outside the Turkish consulate in Knightsbridge in a one-man protest against what he perceives as the Islamification of his home country, Turkey. As he shouted, “Islam is the religion of terrorism”, a religious fanatic, Moussa Kadri, violently attacked him. He spat at him, kicked him and slashed at him with a blade.
Naturally, one would assume that of the two men, the individual wielding a knife on the streets of London would face the full force of the law. Instead, the attacker avoided jail time, while Hamit — a man who had fled persecution in Turkey — was convicted of a religiously aggravated public order offence. Little has been said about the Deliveroo rider who reportedly joined in the assault.
Burning a holy scripture — any holy scripture — is undoubtedly controversial. But it is not illegal.
Just because something offends polite society does not make it a crime. This case goes to the heart of freedom of expression and protest — and to the proper limits of the criminal law.
Parliament abolished blasphemy laws in England and Wales 18 years ago, under the last Labour government. Scotland followed suit in 2021 through the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act. The last execution for blasphemy in Britain took place in 1697. We rightly regarded such laws as relics of a less tolerant age.
It is also worth remembering that Britain’s historic blasphemy laws protected Christianity alone. Yet we now stand on the cusp of something altogether different: a de facto Islamic blasphemy code that would silence criticism of Islam and its practices. And it is emerging not through Parliament, but through the combined and intentioned actions of the Labour government and the Crown Prosecution Service.
In October, it appeared that some rare common sense had prevailed. Mr Justice Bennathan overturned Hamit’s conviction, recognising that while his actions may have been deeply upsetting to Muslims, freedom of expression “must include the right to express views that offend, shock or disturb.”
The Crown Prosecution Service was not prepared to leave it there.
The CPS has sought to overturn that ruling on appeal. The stakes could not be higher. If the Crown succeeds, it will effectively revive Britain’s blasphemy laws. It will send a message that criticism of Islam, even in the context of political protest, may be treated as criminal if it causes offence. Most concerningly of all, it will signal to religious fanatics that should they wish to violently enforce the Islamic blasphemy code, they can do so with the nod of the CPS.
It is …
This affects the entire country.
Max Thompson is Campaigns Officer, for the The Free Speech Union.
If the Crown Prosecution Service gets their way, we could very well be living in a country with an Islamic blasphemy law.
Last February, Hamit Coskun burned a Quran outside the Turkish consulate in Knightsbridge in a one-man protest against what he perceives as the Islamification of his home country, Turkey. As he shouted, “Islam is the religion of terrorism”, a religious fanatic, Moussa Kadri, violently attacked him. He spat at him, kicked him and slashed at him with a blade.
Naturally, one would assume that of the two men, the individual wielding a knife on the streets of London would face the full force of the law. Instead, the attacker avoided jail time, while Hamit — a man who had fled persecution in Turkey — was convicted of a religiously aggravated public order offence. Little has been said about the Deliveroo rider who reportedly joined in the assault.
Burning a holy scripture — any holy scripture — is undoubtedly controversial. But it is not illegal.
Just because something offends polite society does not make it a crime. This case goes to the heart of freedom of expression and protest — and to the proper limits of the criminal law.
Parliament abolished blasphemy laws in England and Wales 18 years ago, under the last Labour government. Scotland followed suit in 2021 through the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act. The last execution for blasphemy in Britain took place in 1697. We rightly regarded such laws as relics of a less tolerant age.
It is also worth remembering that Britain’s historic blasphemy laws protected Christianity alone. Yet we now stand on the cusp of something altogether different: a de facto Islamic blasphemy code that would silence criticism of Islam and its practices. And it is emerging not through Parliament, but through the combined and intentioned actions of the Labour government and the Crown Prosecution Service.
In October, it appeared that some rare common sense had prevailed. Mr Justice Bennathan overturned Hamit’s conviction, recognising that while his actions may have been deeply upsetting to Muslims, freedom of expression “must include the right to express views that offend, shock or disturb.”
The Crown Prosecution Service was not prepared to leave it there.
The CPS has sought to overturn that ruling on appeal. The stakes could not be higher. If the Crown succeeds, it will effectively revive Britain’s blasphemy laws. It will send a message that criticism of Islam, even in the context of political protest, may be treated as criminal if it causes offence. Most concerningly of all, it will signal to religious fanatics that should they wish to violently enforce the Islamic blasphemy code, they can do so with the nod of the CPS.
It is …
Max Thompson: Britain is on course for a blasphemy law by the back door, and a recent case might open it
This affects the entire country.
Max Thompson is Campaigns Officer, for the The Free Speech Union.
If the Crown Prosecution Service gets their way, we could very well be living in a country with an Islamic blasphemy law.
Last February, Hamit Coskun burned a Quran outside the Turkish consulate in Knightsbridge in a one-man protest against what he perceives as the Islamification of his home country, Turkey. As he shouted, “Islam is the religion of terrorism”, a religious fanatic, Moussa Kadri, violently attacked him. He spat at him, kicked him and slashed at him with a blade.
Naturally, one would assume that of the two men, the individual wielding a knife on the streets of London would face the full force of the law. Instead, the attacker avoided jail time, while Hamit — a man who had fled persecution in Turkey — was convicted of a religiously aggravated public order offence. Little has been said about the Deliveroo rider who reportedly joined in the assault.
Burning a holy scripture — any holy scripture — is undoubtedly controversial. But it is not illegal.
Just because something offends polite society does not make it a crime. This case goes to the heart of freedom of expression and protest — and to the proper limits of the criminal law.
Parliament abolished blasphemy laws in England and Wales 18 years ago, under the last Labour government. Scotland followed suit in 2021 through the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act. The last execution for blasphemy in Britain took place in 1697. We rightly regarded such laws as relics of a less tolerant age.
It is also worth remembering that Britain’s historic blasphemy laws protected Christianity alone. Yet we now stand on the cusp of something altogether different: a de facto Islamic blasphemy code that would silence criticism of Islam and its practices. And it is emerging not through Parliament, but through the combined and intentioned actions of the Labour government and the Crown Prosecution Service.
In October, it appeared that some rare common sense had prevailed. Mr Justice Bennathan overturned Hamit’s conviction, recognising that while his actions may have been deeply upsetting to Muslims, freedom of expression “must include the right to express views that offend, shock or disturb.”
The Crown Prosecution Service was not prepared to leave it there.
The CPS has sought to overturn that ruling on appeal. The stakes could not be higher. If the Crown succeeds, it will effectively revive Britain’s blasphemy laws. It will send a message that criticism of Islam, even in the context of political protest, may be treated as criminal if it causes offence. Most concerningly of all, it will signal to religious fanatics that should they wish to violently enforce the Islamic blasphemy code, they can do so with the nod of the CPS.
It is …
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