Dawkins row as he ‘belittles’ mosque attack
THE outspoken atheist Richard Dawkins has provoked anger after he played down the desecration of a Scots mosque.
Professor Dawkins took to social media after a couple, linked to t he extremist Scottish Defence League, were jailed over the incident at Edinburgh’s Central Mosque.
Chelsea Lambie, 18, and Douglas Cruikshank, 39, had attached bacon to door handles and also thrown strips of the meat at the house of worship.
on Friday, the pair were jailed at Edinburgh Sheriff Court for threatening and abusive behaviour – Lambie, of Paisley, Renfrewshire, was given a 12-month sentence in a young offenders’ institute and Cruikshank, of galashiels, Selkirkshire, was jailed for nine months.
But Professor Dawkins failed to see the seriousness of the offence after posting a series of twitter messages including: ‘who (apart from the pig) is damaged by bacon?’
Biologist Dawkins, 73, wrote: ‘Who (apart from the pig) is damaged by bacon? how can this possibly justify a year in jail? Law gone mad.’
he added: ‘ Incitement to violence is a crime. But bacon is hugely less inciting than “Behead those who insult Islam”. Jail for a year? Double standard.’
the statements caused an angry backlash from twitter users. one, ElhombreMalo, wrote: ‘@RichardProfessor Dawkins we get it, you think religions are bad and Islam is the worst but you are siding with quasinazis here. xenophobes at best.’
David Milgrom said: ‘I don’t believe in any gods, but that doesn’t mean I will ever condone racist i ntimidation. Do you @RichardProfessor Dawkins?’
A spokesman for the Muslim Council of Scotland did not want to comment on the case, adding that Mr Professor Dawkins ‘has the freedom to say what he wants’.