Jailed for burning the Koran
A FORMER soldier who burnt a copy of the Koran in protest at Muslim extremists burning a poppy on Remembrance Sunday was yesterday jailed for 70 days.
Andrew Ryan, 32, had been outraged by internet clips of extremists burning poppies and abusing servicemen who were returning home from Afghanistan.
He was jailed weeks after Muslim extremist Emadur Choudhury escaped with a £50 fine – paid from his £850-a-month benefits – for burning a poppy during the two minutes’ silence in London last year.
As Ryan was jailed at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court he yelled: “What about my country? What about people burning poppies?”
He was also given a 30-day sentence, to be served concurrently, for stealing the £5 copy of the Koran from a public library.
The court heard he had six previous convictions for public order offences.
At an earlier court appearance he pleaded guilty to causing religiously aggravated harassment, alarm and distress.
What about my country? What about people burning poppies?
Judge Gerald Chalk told him: “People are entitled to protest, but not in a way that will cause harassment or distress to others.”
