Campaigners have warned Sharia law is being brought to the streets of Britain following the case of a man who burned a Quran at the memorial to the Manchester Arena bombing victims.
Martin Frost, 47, admitted a racially aggravated public order offence after he was filmed tearing pages from the Islamic holy book and setting them alight on Saturday.
He had publicised the event online beforehand, and it was streamed on social media, Manchester Magistrates’ Court was told on Monday.
The case has since been criticised by free speech campaigners, however, who have warned it could also leave Frost at risk of retaliation.
Steven Evans, chief executive of the National Secular Society, told The Telegraph: ‘[The case] brings us perilously close to reinstating blasphemy laws.’
‘The police now appear to be enforcing Sharia law on the streets of Britain,’ he added.
Frost’s name, date and the borough where he lives were all published by Greater Manchester Police on X in a post announcing he had been charged.
In a letter to the force, Lord Young, general secretary of the Free Speech Union raised concerns about the defendant’s safety as a consequence.
He claimed that the case ‘should never have been a police matter, adding the decision to name Frost ‘may well have placed him in great jeopardy’.
The court heard on Monday that the trigger for Frost’s actions was the death of his daughter in the Israeli conflict which had in turn affected his mental health.
Robin Lynch, prosecuting, said a crowd of supporters had gathered near the Glade of Light memorial, which commemorates the 22 people killed in the 2017 terror attack.
Frost then began tearing out pages of the Quran, the prosecutor said, and a passer-by tried to intervene.
But the court heard Frost then shouted: ‘This is what I think of your Quran.. Islam has no place in civil society.’
Mr Lynch added: ‘Then he ripped out pages and said these pages talk about paedophilia and sets that page alight.’
Frost then threw the book in the river nearby and was arrested when police arrived.
The defendant told officers he was demonstrating solidarity with another anti-Islam activist in Sweden, who was recently murdered after burning a Quran.
A victim impact statement from the person who tried to intervene, who was not named, said: ‘I was quite shocked, disgusted and offended. I’m a Muslim. I still can’t believe someone would do this.
‘When he began to burn the Quran my heart was about to break out. This is the most emotion I have ever felt.’
Zoe Earle, defending Frost – who was in tears stood in the dock, said: ‘He’s extremely distressed at the distress he’s caused others as a result of this. He needs some further help and support.
‘What triggered what happened recently is that his daughter was killed in the Israeli conflict. Her death has had a significant impact on his mental health. His mental health is clearly declining over the last six months.’
The court heard Frost has 20 previous convictions for 47 offences, but nothing of a similar nature to the public order offence on Saturday.
District Judge Margaret McCormack asked for a pre-sentence report and adjourned sentencing.
She told Frost she was sorry for the loss of his daughter, but added: ‘The Quran is a sacred book to Muslims and treating it as you did is going to cause extreme distress. This is a tolerant country, but we just do not tolerate this behaviour.’
She bailed Frost on condition he does not post anything further on social media and will pass sentence on April 29.
The incident came just two days after Salwan Momika, a Swedish anti-Islam activist, was shot dead near Stockholm after he burned the Quran in 2023.
Greater Manchester Police’s Assistant Chief Constable Stephanie Parker said: ‘We made a swift arrest at the time and recognise the right people have for freedom of expression, but when this crosses into intimidation to cause harm or distress we will always look to take action when it is reported to us.’