The arrest has once again sparked debate over freedom of speech in the country and policing of language near religious sites. The UK has come under fire for arresting and targeting Christians praying silently. While bacon is a staple of British fry-ups and breakfasts, some have said that mentioning it in the context of a mosque protest is likely to be viewed as deliberately inflammatory, given Islamic dietary restrictions.
The incident is not the UK's first that puts Islam's intolerance of bacon in the spotlight. In 2016, Kevin Crehan was jailed for placing bacon on the door handles of the Jamia Mosque in Totterdown, Bristol, per the BBC. Crehan was sentenced to 12 months in prison for racially aggravated public disorder. He died later that year while serving his sentence at HMP Bristol. The prison service confirmed his death but did not disclose further details, stating only that an independent investigation was underway.
Crehan, 35, had taken part in the January 2016 incident with three others. Strips of bacon were left on the mosque’s entrance doors and a member of staff was racially abused, according ot the BBC. Crehan’s co-defendants received shorter sentences: Mark Bennett, 48, was jailed for nine months; his wife Alison Bennett, 46, received a six-month suspended sentence; and Angelina Swales, 31, was handed a four-month suspended sentence.
Crehan’s death in custody led to debate and anger, with supporters questioning why a man jailed for a non-violent offense died behind bars. Authorities never released the cause of death, citing privacy and ongoing reviews.
