Man burns Quran outside Turkish Consulate in London
A man attempted to burn the Quran outside the Turkish Consulate in Knightsbridge, London. (Photo via Daily Mail)
A man attempted to burn the Quran outside the Turkish Consulate in Knightsbridge, London, on Thursday afternoon, prompting swift police intervention.
Authorities are investigating the incident, which sparked strong reactions on social media.
The man believed to be Turkish origin. According to British media, an X account, believed to be run by attacked, has been posting a commentary of the incident. The same account also wrote that ‘he was attacked’ after his so-called protests.
In an earlier post, the protestor said that he was going to carry out a protest in memory of Salwan Momika, a Quran burner in Sweden, who was killed in Södertälje, Stockholm recently during a live broadcast on TikTok.
Quran burning attempt infront of Turkish Consulate
The incident took place in Rutland Gardens near the Turkish Consulate. Footage shared on social media showed a man setting fire to a book, believed to be the Quran, and holding it up as it burned.
He was seen waving the burning book outside the consulate’s perimeter, drawing reactions from bystanders.
Police respond to scene after man burns Quran
London’s Metropolitan Police received reports of the attempted book burning at 2:11 p.m. on Feb 13 and arrived at the scene shortly after.
Authorities confirmed they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the event and its possible legal implications.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police stated: “Officers attended within minutes and are investigating reports of an individual attempting to burn a religious text near the Turkish Consulate. Enquiries remain ongoing.”
Social media activity prior to incident
Prior to the attempted burning, an account on X, formerly Twitter, had posted a countdown to the event.
Posts related to the incident gained widespread attention, with some users condemning the act and others expressing support for free speech.
Ongoing investigation
Authorities are assessing whether any legal violations occurred during the incident. Officials have not confirmed whether any charges will be filed against the individual involved.
