Suella Braverman wades into row after pupils suspended over ‘slight damage’ to a copy of the Quran 

The Home Secretary has waded into the blasphemy controversy surrounding a West Yorkshire school, saying: ‘Nobody can demand respect for their belief system, even if it is a religion.’

Kettlethorpe School in Wakefield found itself in the spotlight after a 14-year-old boy with autism accidentally dropped a copy of the Quran, causing scuffmarks.

The incident was investigated by West Yorkshire Police as a potential hate crime, while four boys involved in the incident were suspended.

Suella Braverman KC has stated that the UK does not have blasphemy laws and everyone should respect the UK’s ‘absolute’ freedom of speech and pluralism, The Times reports.

She wrote: ‘The education sector and police have a duty to prioritise the physical safety of children over the hurt feelings of adults. Schools answer to pupils and parents. They do no have to answer to self-appointed community activists.’

Kettlethorpe School in Wakefield found itself in the spotlight after a 14-year-old boy with autism accidentally dropped a copy of the Quran, causing scuffmarks

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Suella Braverman KC has stated that the UK does not have blasphemy laws and everyone should respect the UK’s ‘absolute’ freedom of speech and pluralism

Ms Braverman described a community meeting filmed in the aftermath of the incident as looking ‘more like a sharia law trial’.

She added: ‘There is no apostasy law in this country, The act of accusing someone of apostasy or blasphemy is effectively inciting violence upon that person.

‘Everyone who lives here has to accept this country’s pluralism and freedom of speech and belief… This freedom is absolute.’

False rumours the book had been burnt prompted concern among parents and local leaders, who discussed the incident with police during a meeting at the local mosque.

Officers found there had been only ‘minor damage’ to the Quran during the prank and that no crime had been committed. 

However, it was recorded as a ‘non-crime hate incident’, a designation the police use to record those not meeting the criminal threshold.   

Headmaster Tudor Griffiths said there had been ‘no malicious intent’ but the pupils’ actions were ‘unacceptable’ because they ‘did not treat the Quran with the respect it should have’. 

A source close to Ms Braverman told The Times: ‘These are very concerning reports. 

‘The home secretary is clear that the police response should always be proportionate and consider the welfare of young children as a priority over any perceived insults.’ 

Humanists UK called the decision to suspend the boys ‘horrendous’ and said the school had allowed itself to be ‘pressured into excessive disciplinary action by a religious group’.

West Yorkshire Police said: ‘We are aware of local and national concerns following an incident at Kettlethorpe High School in Wakefield last week.

‘Police were made aware on the evening of Thursday, 23 February, of an incident that had occurred at the school earlier that day. 

‘Initial enquiries confirmed that minor damage was caused to a religious text. 

‘We have recorded a hate incident, but from our enquiries are satisfied that no criminal offences were committed.

‘A report was also made of a malicious communications offence in relation to threats being made to a child in connection with this incident. 

‘A suspect was identified, who was also a child, and they were given words of advice by an officer.

‘We are continuing to liaise with the school and our neighbourhood officers are conducting additional reassurance patrols in the area.’

The school is ten miles from Batley Grammar School, which was the focus of parent protests in 2021 after a teacher was suspended for showing his pupils an image of the prophet Muhammad.