Man Admits to Burning Koran During Livestream Near Terror Attack Memorial
A man has confessed to burning the Koran on social media near a memorial site
Manchester, Greater Manchester, UK, Koran, Terror Attack, Martin Frost
Manchester: A man named Martin Frost has admitted to burning pages of the Koran. He livestreamed the act on social media near the Glade of Light memorial. This memorial honors the 22 victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing.
Frost ripped pages from the Koran and set them on fire. He did this while surrounded by supporters. He even stomped on the burning pages and dropped them to the ground.
Before the incident, he announced his plans online. He was arrested shortly after and appeared in court. There, he admitted to a racially aggravated public order offense.
The court learned that Frost’s actions were triggered by the death of his daughter in the Israeli conflict. He was also seen holding an Israeli flag during the incident.
A passerby tried to stop him, but Frost shouted that Islam has no place in civil society. He claimed one page he burned discussed paedophilia and threw the rest of the Koran into a nearby river.
Frost said he was showing support for an anti-Islam activist in Sweden. This activist was shot during a livestream after burning a Koran earlier this year.
A victim impact statement from the person who intervened expressed shock and disgust. They felt deeply offended by Frost’s actions.
Frost’s lawyer mentioned that he is distressed about the impact of his actions. His mental health has declined since his daughter’s death.
Frost has a history of 20 previous convictions but nothing similar to this incident. The judge expressed sympathy for his loss but emphasized the distress caused to the Muslim community.
She granted him bail with conditions, including no further social media posts. Sentencing is set for April 29.