A man has been arrested in Manchester city centre after reportedly burning a copy of the Quran in a livestreamed video on social media. The incident occurred at the Glade of Light memorial, a site dedicated to commemorating the victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing.
A 47-year-old man, known as X user "DigitalVagrant", has been arrested for a racially aggravated public order offence after burning a Quran in Manchester.
— British Pakistani Index (@PakistaniIndex) February 2, 2025
He claimed the act was in solidarity with Salwan Momika, an anti-Islam activist recently killed in Sweden.#Manchester pic.twitter.com/GKr0SR3XP5
The 47-year-old suspect, who uses the social media handle “DigitalVagrant” on X, was detained on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence. He remains in police custody for questioning.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed the arrest, with Assistant Chief Constable Stephanie Parker addressing public concerns over the incident. She stated that while freedom of expression is recognised, actions that cross into intimidation or cause harm or distress will be met with appropriate legal measures.
The suspect reportedly carried out the act in solidarity with Salwan Momika, an Iraqi-born anti-Islam activist known for burning copies of the Quran in Sweden. Momika was shot dead in Sweden earlier this week, with authorities investigating potential links to foreign influences.