UK Politician Arrested for Burning a Koran — Released on Alleged Technicality
- Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:09am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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BNP candidate Sion Owens.
A politician in Britain was arrested this weekend after video of him allegedly burning a Koran recently surfaced.
Sion Owens, a BNP candidate in the upcoming Welsh Assembly elections, was charged under the Public Order Act. Joanne Shannon, another BNP candidate, was also arrested in connection with the incident. The Daily Mail reports:
[Owens] was said to have soaked the Islamic holy book in kerosene, set fire to it and watched it burn. Footage was then apparently circulated among extremists. [...]
Owens, who allegedly wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the words ‘Whitelaw No Surrender’ during the burning, was arrested within hours of police receiving the video footage. He is due to appear before Swansea magistrates today. [...]
It is unclear when the alleged burning took place.
But after appearing in court over the weekend, the BBC says that on Monday the case was “withdrawn.” Still, that doesn’t mean Owens has nothing to worry about. The local prosecutor reportedly vowed to continue investigating the incident and that “almost certainly other proceedings will ensue.” That could be because, as The Independent reports, Owens’s release was due to a technical slip-up on the part of the authorities:
An unconfirmed source in court today claimed that the permission of the Attorney General must be sought before such a charge can be made.
In the case of Mr Owens, it was not.
The Independent adds that the prosecutor in the case read the charge in court, which accused Owens of having in his possession “a record of visual images or sounds showing you burning a copy of the Koran whilst saying ‘I am burning the Holy Koran and I hope that you Muslims are watching.”‘
A BNP Party spokesperson said that Owens and Shannon would remain on their respective tickets. Both were released from police custody.
A previous Koran-burning oversee by Florida pastor Terry Jones caused a widespread backlash by Muslims worldwide. Several people have been killed as a result, including two UN workers in Afghanistan who were beheaded.
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Comments (126)
Gasparri
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 9:33amWell, I drilled a 2 inch hole in the middle of a large copy of the Holy Koran, greased it up with Valvoline and made mad passionate love to the Holy Koran. I love the Koran and it loves me back. It was a 9 year old Koran. Anything wrong with that?
Report Post »Eblaze44
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 9:31ama Hero – a hero would have done it publicly not hidden and then brought it out on tape. And he still would be no hero. Hero‘s don’t burn books – regardless of what you may think. and this is NOT free speech, although it does make one smile in political correctness. This borders on yelling “FIRE!” in a theater. The man “may” get killed – the Lord knows there are enough radical Muslims in Great Britain to carry it out – but on the other hand – it will most likely mean that someone else will get killed, tortured and have their heads cut off. this is a real “Christian” thing to do.
Report Post »Zer0
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 11:48amI must vehemently disagree with you on this issue. While, in Britain, it is not freedom of speech, it is in the United States. I find the act of burning ANY book, eerily reminiscent of NAZI era Germany, and would normally never condone or suggest it. That being said, it is no one’s fault, when a riotous lot roams their streets, killing innocent people because a book was burned on the otherside of the world, other than the ones that commit the murders.
Again, across the Islamic world you see Muslims, almost daily, burn not only books, but churches as well. It does not matter, Christian churches, Jewish temples, mosques of opposing sects of Islam. Much like Bill Maher anologized, it is similar to blaming a child for angering their violent, drunk, of a father, when the child is beaten by the vilent father.
I do not find anything heroic in book burning, but many Muslims across the world burn our flags, our Holy books, and our places of worship. They also, regularily, kill Jews, Christian, and Islamic minorities daily.
You should pay a visit to the website, thereligionofpeace.com….then again, it could offend your sensibilities a bit.
Report Post »en2deep
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 1:17pmSo Koran burning should be banned?
Report Post »Zer0
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 1:22pmNo.
Report Post »Eblaze44
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 9:27amBurn a Koran/Qur’an a day until the Muslims stop terrorizing the world. Wait until next winter though – should get some use/warmth from the fire.
Report Post »Islesfordian
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 9:40amBut they’ll never stop terrrorizing. They get off on being outraged for the honor of their faith. It‘s Islam’s twisted concept of martyrdom. The only way to stop Muslim terrorism is to kill Muslim terrorists. When they riot, shoot them. Those that run away obviously have enough rational sense to prefer life over death and can be reasoned with.
Report Post »olddog
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 9:25amThe koran is nothing but an EVIL document as are its followers…..
Report Post »TBTNK9
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 9:23amOwens has surely put his own life in danger for the sake of free speech. The PC legal proceedings are nothing compared to the very real risk of retaliation by the Mslm extremists. And should we not challenge the barbaric mindset of such hateful individuals? Or just surrender our freedoms one by one for fear of having to actually defend them? Owens has made his stand clear…what of the rest of us?
Report Post »I-HATE-THE-WORD-DISENFRANCHISE
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 9:21amEvery knee will bend, every tongue confess Jesus Christ is king.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 9:14amIf I burn L. Ron Hubbards “Dianetics” , will John Travolta and Tom Cruise start cutting peoples heads off in Hollywood?
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 9:12amWhat if he burned a Bible? Same result? I doubt it.
Report Post »CanDan
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 9:10amBut beneath the rosy assurances from Muslim apologists that Islam is about peace and tolerance lies a much darker reality that better explains the violence and deeply-rooted indifference. Quite simply, the Quran teaches supremacy, hate and hostility.
Far from teaching universal love, the Quran incessantly preaches the inferiority of non-Muslims, even comparing them to vile animals and gloating over Allah’s hatred of them and his dark plans for their eternal torture
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Pages/Quran-Hate.htm
Report Post »mike057
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 9:07amIts a sad state of affairs. So our elected officials find it ok to support a religion that believes that beheading someone is ok? The same religion that stones people to death? Seriously people everyone needs to wake up. The Islamic faith supports and demands these types of actions. Educate yourselves and know what they believe. In the not so distant future Islam will be the #1 religion in the world. Just think what will happen then if we dont get our Sh-t together now.
Report Post »wayned315
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:52amWe are dealing with a 12th century mentality with a 21st century mindset. It isn’t going to work. You cannot placate the Medievil mind with laws, only brute force works.
Report Post »sayangku
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 11:35amSo True
Report Post »CanDan
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:48amGuess you might say England is under Sharia Law
Now muslims will burn Chirstians alive and all will be blamed on the Koran burning
Report Post »grannyjojo
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:46amThis is so insane, you are arrested for burning a book? I’m a Christian but am curious…..if someone burned a Bible in Britain would they be arrested also? I’d be pretty tempted to see if that would happen just to find out. I know, I know it sounds really stupid but I’d really like to know. I‘ve had some old tattered Bibles that I’ve tossed away so WHAT do they do with theirs, hang onto them forever? Its ludicrous anyway you look at it. And it sure gives them an excuse to murder those not in their religion. Religion of peace….my rear end. “Every knee will bow and every tongue confess” God bless all
Report Post »Al J Zira
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:42amHow backwards is that? Talk about a bunch of whimps. They’re afraid of muslims rioting so they have a law regarding burning the Koran but I wonder what would happen if it was a bible? Or if they had a “sculpture” of a crucifix in urine. But then again in a country guided by the Church of England I guess they don’t care.
Report Post »moonpeace
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:40amNo fear. We, the KBLA, will see that nothing happens to our brother Owens. This is also only the first of many more burnings.
Report Post »NEON LIPS
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 2:11pmWhat does the KBLA stand for?
Report Post »delhoghe
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 4:44pmKill, Burn, Loot,Assisinate (K.B.L.A,). Just guessing.
Report Post »delhoghe
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 4:46pmAssassinate…couldn’t spell it. Now I have.
Report Post »APatriotFirst
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:29amI absolutely love books. I have tons of them, cause I can’t sell, give away or loan them out. So I keep them. Could probably open my own book store.
But the Koran, is the one book I could do things to…….give away, sell or burn, IF I WANT TO. It is a book. Paper. Dead wood. Maybe let my new puppy, ShuShu, cut her teeth on it chewing. Use it to clean up after said new puppy when she has an accident.
We have burn law here where I live. But I checked, we do NOT have a no bury law, so……..
Dig dig a hole
Report Post »Just like a mole
Hey take a look
You see this book
It is the Koran
Right where I stand
With stuff from a pig
Now I reverse my dig.
dissentnow
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:27amDon’t be so snide in your condemnation of Europe, folks. The culture of political correctness that infests Europe will soon enough find its way to our shores…….with special help from our politicians ( both left and RIGHT ) and the diversity police in the mainstream media.
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 12:55pmI blame the MSM more than anything else…..power with the pen is the most affective! Now that Fox is hiring more and more liberals and of course that slime ball O’reilly having an ego grow exponentially everyday…..I say put Glenn on the 8 0‘clock time frame and show O’reilly what real ratings are :)
Report Post »Mousey
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:22amEngland is down the drain :(
Report Post »mikenleeds
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:21ammy first question is why would anyone be arrested for burning a book of hate known as the koran? the American flag and holy bible are burned all the time and nothing is never said ,,, i guess the media and governments pick and choose who s asses to kiss in the name of liberalism
Report Post »Eblaze44
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 9:34amWe the people – yes we the people put these people in government – even in GB. We complain when our “politicians or people in government” break the law, even if the laws are stupid or not right, they are the law. Breaking the law makes no man a Hero.
Report Post »jedi.kep
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:19amOh great. Time for the Muslim nut jobs to go nuts again. I wonder how many will die this time?
Report Post »Taquoshi
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:18amOh, whoa. Britain, you are sliding down a very slippery slope. I suppose this will come under “hate crime” although no one was hurt?
And Mr. Owen??? Why did you video tape the burn???
Report Post »BSdetector
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 7:12amWhy not? Taping it isn’t the problem, the problem is that they have no freedom of speech in UK which allows people to be oppressed for such things as this.
Report Post »WhatWasIThinking?
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:18amwow, really? The public order act? where is George Orwell? I want to ask him how this will all play out.
Report Post »AZfreeman
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 11:32amLet’s hope George is consulting with Ayn Rand.
Report Post »..rf
NOBALONEY
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:17amWhere are the riots? Is it just the Koran burnings in america that must be plastered all over the world?
Report Post »Taquoshi
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:27amThere’s usually some kind of delay, the riots will happen probably in a day or two. It takes time to whip crowds into a frenzy.
Report Post »Paul -Indiana
Posted on April 12, 2011 at 7:10pmWait for Friday Prayers.
Report Post »Cemoto78
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:16amOh, heads are going to roll for this one from the religion of peace.
Report Post »PavZilla
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:20amLiterally. One of the constants in this world of variables.
Report Post »dthomps6
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:16amYou can get arrested for that in England? That’s messed up.
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:17amI suspect he will meet with an accident or outright murder before he makes it up on further charges.
DimmuBorgir
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:18amyeah i didn’t know they turned into germany.
NickDeringer
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:21amEngland doesn’t hold free speech as a right the way we do. In fact, they have speech police patrolling the street…literally.
Report Post »Taquoshi
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:31amNick (miss your old avatar, btw) -
So, burning a book is prohibited in England now?
Does it apply to phone books, text books, children’s books, books of atrocious poetry, or is it selective and applies only to the Koran? I’m curious.
Report Post »Islesfordian
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:42amThe surest way to encourage the growth of quasi fascist nationalist parties is to suppress them in cowardly defense of foreign threats to British culture and law.
Report Post »Mike Westfall No Hiding
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:48amI used to live in England for a year. The PC police made sure that taxi driver license applications were made available in brail… Just not to be too offensive to the blind…
Report Post »Gold Coin & Economic News
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:49amI wonder if the same would have happened if he was burning a Bible (the TRUE Word of God) or a statue of Jesus?
Report Post »GODSAMERICA
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 8:52amOf course they can get arrested for that. It is only Bible burning or church burning or things like that to not be a crime.
Report Post »watchtheotherhand
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 9:00amJust a preview of what is eventually coming to this country if people don’t take the threats to liberty seriously…… A politician never met a freedom he didn’t like to dismantle as long as he is doing “good” to you or the nation. Anyone who would trade liberty for “security” deserve neither nor will have either.
Report Post »lovenfl3
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 9:16amStay tuned for more beheadings by the radical Muslims. In this video you can see that these people don’t mess around. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcRU63qCJkw It’s amazing to see Rachel Maddow sticking up for a group that condemn her on two counts.
Report Post »Deane
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 9:23amI say burn baby burn…keep burning Koran’s until radical Islamists stop burning effigies of our presidents our flag and the bible
Islam is like a child, discipline by reciprocation is the only way they will learn..and if they don’t, we should make their homelands glass (and we all know how to do that)
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 9:24am@Grandmaof5:
In Britian we are seeing the future of multi cultural nonsense here in America. And yes, most likely he will be killed before more charges are brought against him for daring to stand for his beliefs.
Report Post »mrsmileyface
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 9:32amSo much for the good work of Winston Churchill. But it has been a long long time since Brittian was subjugated by the Romans. Youll be amazed by what one can get used to.
Report Post »tbb
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 9:39am@Nickderinger
How do you figure? I lived in Britain for 16 years I never saw any “speech police”. They hold to freedom of speech the same way we do. I’m surprised that the pastor in Florida was never arrested.
Report Post »Islesfordian
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 10:22am“They hold to freedom of speech the same way we do.”
No, they DON’T. Try mentioning what the bible says about homosexuality in public in Britain. The police will soon be at your door. They have intimidated pastors for doing just that.
Report Post »Islesfordian
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 10:23amAnd the fact that you were surprised the Florida pastor was not arrested shows you don’t have a clue what American free speech really is.
Report Post »kindling
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 10:26amYou can’t say Black in GB you have to describe people by what they are wearing. They take political correctness to the limit. It makes us over here think hard about our freedom and we stand by and let the Democrats take away our freedoms daily.
Report Post »mill
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 10:28amEnglrmany , waiting for the gestapo to appear. What are they doing?? over there? Would this have happened if it were a christian bible? no
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 11:05amI do not adhere to burning of books as a general rule but, this is getting ridiculous!! I think we should all feel for the Publishers of the koran since they are just poor sheephearders that can’t afford to print anymore then what is necessary, thus all the outrage over burning this book?
Report Post »DirectlyUnPCman
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 11:33amSTOP burning the Loran. Lets start burning some muslims! To much hate?
Report Post »Obama Bin Lying
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 11:51amWhy are we so afraid of Muslims? You don’t hear a word when Muslims scream for a World Wide Caliphate, or the destruction of Western Civilization. Or when they MUrder Christians, or Burn Chirches, let alone Bibles….buthere they set fire to own, and the Mutants come unglued.
Islam is a Mental disorder
Report Post »delhoghe
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 12:34pmWhat I find suspicious is how a man named SION would refer to a Koran as HOLY .
Report Post »snidley-whiplash
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 12:41pmEngland sucks, Islam sucks Christianity rocks. Might as well throw obama in there too.
Report Post »O K obama sucks!
God Bless America and Pray to save the Constitution of The United States of America.
Amen
The Big Pickle
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 12:54pmIn England you can get arrested for saying “paki” in public. That is consider a hate crime. I heard about one brit going to jail for a couple years for saying the word in a pub.
Report Post »wasnt me
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 2:03pmlets see, the muslims can burn a bible or a cross anytime they want, but because they believe that the koran is the actual word of God, so therefor it is sacred and it can not be touched….and us Christians think that the bible is what…a comic book? Turn about is fair play!
Report Post »avenger
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 2:09pmHow do I establish a prayer rug factory in the UK ? this sister country is committing suicide and it is truly sad.Hey people is there something in your water to keep you docile like sheep.Burn at least 1000 qurans daily until easter !…here is a glimpse into your future.. http://thereligionofpeace.com
Report Post »frodis
Posted on April 11, 2011 at 7:25pmBoy if that were a bible he would have been given an award. Why the extra special rules for muslims? He burned a book. Get over it. Grow some skin. The US flag burns everyday in muslim land so you have every koran burning coming. Stop and maybe they will stop.
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