Man nails Qur'an to pub wall in protest against Islamic centre in Shotton Colliery

Categories: Latest News
Friday January 24 2014
The Sunderland Echo reports on the nailing of a copy of the Qur’an to the walls of a former pub which is to be converted into an Islamic education centre in the town of Shotton Colliery.
Graham French, a member of the far right English Defence League also painted the letters EDL onto the wall twice.
He pleaded guilty to causing racially or religiously-aggravated criminal damage but claimed that the act was a ‘revenge attack’ after he was followed home one night by a woman wearing a burqa.
Chairman of the bench, David Carr, said: “Not only is the daubing of the words racially aggravated, but the nailing of the Koran to the wall makes it even worse.”
The case has been adjourned until next month while a report is prepared on French. He was bailed on the condition that he does not contact Mr Kaiser Javeed Choudry, the Muslim businessman behind the redevelopment project.