British Man Charged After Allegedly Tearing Pages of a Koran During Soccer Game

A British man has been charged with causing racial or religiously-aggravated harassment after allegedly tearing pages from the Koran during a soccer game, the BBC reports.

25-year-old Mark Stephenson of Shrewsbury reportedly caused the disturbance during a game on December 7 between Birmingham City and Middlesbrough at St Andrews.

Getty File Photo

The Gazette Live adds that Stephenson, who has been released on bail, is due to appear before city magistrates later this month.

“While on bail the man has been banned from attending the St Andrew’s ground, barred from attending any football matches and must not visit any city where Middlesbrough [Football Club] are playing,” a spokeswoman for the West Midlands Police remarked.

And the Middlesbrough Football Club reportedly vowed to ban Stephenson from the Riverside Stadium for life, if convicted. A spokesman added that six people have already been suspended until the West Midland Police release more information.

“The club will take no further action until receiving confirmation from West Midlands Police on the status of the individuals concerned,” the Middlesbrough Football Club spokesman added.

Some have been increasingly concerned by the spread of radical Islam in the United Kingdom, and see cases like Stephenson's as a form of appeasement to Shariah Law.

Roughly one year ago, a group of self-styled Muslim “vigilantes” were recorded patrolling the streets of London, haranguing women and homosexuals, in an effort to implement Islamic Law. At around the same time, Islamists held a large protest in England, one speaker saying: “We will not stop as Muslims until the whole world is governed by Islam.” And in May, British Fusilier Lee Rigby was gruesomely hacked to death in London by Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, who consider themselves "soldiers of Allah."

Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch simply asked: "If Mark Stephenson had torn and thrown pages of the Bible, would he be charged?"

(H/T: JihadWatch)

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