Man taken into custody for burning pages of Koran during memorial for victims of terrorist attack.

Over the weekend, a disturbing incident occurred in Manchester's St Peter's Square. A man, whose identity has not been released, livestreamed himself burning pages of the Koran, the holy book of the Islamic faith. The location of the burning, the Glade of Light Memorial, holds special significance as it commemorates the victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing.

The footage, which has since been taken down, showed the man using a lighter to set individual pages of the Koran on fire. He then proceeded to stomp on the smoldering pages and even held them up to someone recording him before dropping them to the ground. The incident was broadcast live on social media and caught the attention of Greater Manchester Police, who then arrested the man.

Out of respect for the Muslim community, Metro has chosen not to share the footage of the book being burned. For Muslims, the Koran is considered to be the literal word of God, and any act of disrespect towards it is seen as a blasphemous act. In the video, the man can be seen surrounded by police officers as they attempt to usher him into a police van.

Assistant Chief Constable Stephanie Parker addressed the incident, acknowledging the potential harm and distress it may cause within the diverse communities of Manchester. She stated that while everyone has the right to freedom of expression, when it crosses into intimidation and harm, the police will take action.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police also released a statement, sharing that a 47-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence. He currently remains in custody for questioning. The police are asking anyone with further information to come forward and contact them.

This incident in Manchester is not an isolated event. Just days before, a man on trial for burning the Koran in Sweden was shot and killed during a livestream. These acts of violence and disrespect towards the Islamic faith are deeply troubling and have no place in our society. We must work towards promoting understanding and respect for all religions.

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