Man who burned Quran in London, guilty of religiously aggravated public order offence
Hamit Coskun, aged 50, who burned a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish consulate in London on 13 February, has been found guilty of a religiously aggravated public order offence. Coskun shouted abusive comments about Islam while holding the burning book aloft. Yesterday, Westminster Magistrates Court found him guilty and fined him £240 with a £96 surcharge. District Judge John McGarva said Coskun’s actions were “provocative and taunting” and driven by a “deep-seated hatred of Islam and its followers”. The court heard Coskun, who is of Kurdish and Armenian descent and lives in Derby, travelled specifically to burn the Quran, to protest against Turkish President Erdoğan. The judge rejected his claim that he was only criticising Islam and not its followers. Coskun has called the conviction “an assault on free speech”. Humanists UK and the National Secular Society raised concerns, with the NSS saying “the prosecution of a man for burning a Quran in protest signals a concerning capitulation to Islamic blasphemy codes”. Judge McGarva said the case was not about blasphemy, but public order, citing Coskun’s Islamophobic language. The Free Speech Union plans to appeal the verdict, potentially to the European Court of Human Rights.
Cambridge University appoints first Jewish professor of Hebrew
Cambridge University has appointed Professor Aaron Koller as its first Jewish professor of Hebrew since the role was established nearly 500 years ago by Henry VIII, a time when Jews were banned from England and when Hebrew was seen as essential for studying the Old Testament. The Guardian reports that Prof Koller, who currently teaches at Yeshiva University in New York, will take on the historic Regius Professorship of Hebrew later this year. He told the Guardian that he aims to broaden the appeal of Hebrew studies and distance the language from modern political associations, particularly its connection to the state of Israel. He hopes to show that Hebrew, like Latin or Greek, is a classical language with a rich literary and philosophical tradition that transcends national boundaries. He is quoted saying: “Part of my role is to say: Hebrew has a massively and really fascinatingly long history, and has nothing to do with the nation state that happens to exist today in the 21st century. You can study medieval Hebrew and be enthralled by the poetry and the philosophy without coming across as taking a stand on a contested issue.” Guardian story is here
Saudi Arabia blocks over 269,000 unauthorised pilgrims from the Hajj
Saudi authorities have prevented more than 269,000 people without official permits from entering Mecca, as part of a crackdown on unauthorized participation in the annual Hajj pilgrimage from Wednesday 4 June – Monday 9 June. The Associated Press reports that more than 1.4 million pilgrims with official documentation have arrived in Mecca, with more expected in the coming days. The move comes amid growing concerns over overcrowding and safety, with the government linking last year’s high death toll in the extreme summer heat, to large numbers of unregistered pilgrims. This year, only those with valid Hajj permits are allowed to perform the pilgrimage, regardless of whether they are Saudi citizens, foreign residents, or even long-term Mecca inhabitants. Penalties include fines of up to $5,000, deportation for foreigners, and legal action against people who break the law. 23,000 Saudi residents have been penalised for breaking Hajj regulations and licenses of 400 Hajj travel companies accused of violating permit requirements, have ben revoked. Associated Press article here.
Eight injured in Boulder flamethrower attack on Jewish hostage rally
The Jewish community in Boulder, Colorado, is in shock after a man allegedly shouting “Free Palestine” attacked a pro-Israeli hostage rally with a makeshift flamethrower, injuring eight people. The incident occurred just hours before Shavuot, one of Judaism’s holiest holidays which is observed from Sunday 1 June – Tuesday 3 June, marking the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The FBI is treating the assault as an act of violence and is investigating it as a potential act of terrorism. A suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, is now in federal custody. According to Boulder police, four men and four women, aged between 52 and 88, who were taking part in the rally, were hospitalised following the attack. Jewish leaders and community members have called for stronger protections amid rising antisemitic violence across the US.
New safeguarding leadership job advertised by CofE
The Church of England is recruiting an “Executive Chair, Safeguarding Structures Programme Board”, which will oversee two Project Boards delivering workstreams. The role is part time, 8 or 10 days a month, with the candidate paid on a retainer. The job ad, put forward by recruitment agency Saxton Bampfylde Ltd, says the church is looking for a candidate “with senior leadership experience from a public sector (Government or equivalent) organisation which delivers safeguarding, along with proven experience of organisational change and of leading governance bodies within complex programmes”.
The people who will select the next Archbishop of Canterbury, pictured
The Church of England has released a picture of the members of the Crown Nominations Commission who will select the next Archbishop of Canterbury. The commission was only completed last Tuesday, when the Canterbury diocese completed a re-run of its selection process for three people. It had held its first meeting at Lambeth Palace in London by last Friday. The CNC will meet at least twice more over the coming months, with the expectation that the new Archbishop will be announced this autumn. Membership of the commission listed here
Rev Richard Coles returns to parish ministry
The beloved broadcaster, author, I’m a Celebrity and Strictly star, and former Communards icon, the Rev Richard Coles, is returning to the ministry, joining the team at St Mary the Virgin church in Eastbourne after a three-year break away from the pastoral front line. He retired from parish ministry in 2022, soon after his long-term partner died from liver failure. One of the reasons for his departure was the Church of England’s stance on same-sex relationships. But now aged 63 and living near the south coast, he is coming back to a parish role. He told The Mail: “It’s a lovely church and very convenient for Waitrose. They’ve got a robed choir. We sing proper old hymns, the ones I like. The vicar is a great preacher. There’s tai chi on a Friday. Everything you’d want.” On his return he says: “I was out for a while, now I’m back in. I just stopped being angry. I realised the ten per cent of things I found unendurable were much less than the 90 per cent of things I found enjoyable.” Mail story here
