London, September 24: Video shows group of masked men shouting “September 11, International Burn a Quran Day” and “This is for the boys in Afghanistan” before setting fire to the Muslim holy book
A gang of men have been arrested after filming themselves burning a copy of the Quran on the anniversary of 9/11 — and posting it on YouTube.
Six suspects were seized after allegedly setting fire to the Muslim holy book in the backyard of a pub. The men, who hid their faces, then posted the video of the burning on the popular website.
In the film the gang are seen gathered round a copy of the Quran in the backyard of The Bugle pub in Leam Lane, Felling, Gateshead.
Masked faces Appearing with what seems to be tea towels wrapped around their heads, the men show the holy book to the camera before dousing it with fuel from a red can and lighting it.
One man in a grey Adidas tracksuit and white trainers, who has a blue cloth wrapped around his head makes a series of obscene gestures towards the book as it burns.
Laughing, the track-suited gang shouts, “This is for the boys in Afghanistan. September 11, international burn a Quran day, for all the people of 9/11. “This is how we do it in Gateshead, right.”
One man then attempts to add more fuel, but instead sets the plastic petrol can on fire.
He then kicks the book across the yard, leaving a trail of flames which he is forced to hastily stamp out.
Police visited The Bugle last Wednesday after the video was posted online.
Two men were arrested on suspicion of stirring racial hatred, and have since been released on bail.
On Wednesday, four more Gateshead men were arrested and bailed. None were charged.
In a joint statement, Northumbria Police and Gateshead Council condemned the book burning.
“The kind of behaviour displayed in this video is not at all representative of our community as a whole,” said the spokesman.
Police confirmed the arrests were in relation to burning the book, not for making, distributing or watching the video.
“On Wednesday, September 22, four men from Gateshead were arrested on suspicion of stirring racial hatred,” a spokesman said.
———Agencies