Constitutional Law

Fla. city denies permit for 9/11 Quran burning

By By The Associated Press

GAINESVILLE, Fla. ? Officials in a Florida city have denied a burn permit for a church that is seeking to burn copies of the Quran on Sept. 11.

Interim Fire Chief Gene Prince said yesterday that the open burning of books is not allowed under Gainesville's burning ordinance.
 
The Dove World Outreach Center drew international attention after announcing a plan to burn copies of the Islamic holy text on church grounds to mark the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Prince says the church will be fined if the burning is held.

In an e-mail sent yesterday, the church said, "City of Gainesville denies burn permit - BUT WE WILL STILL BURN KORANS."
 
The Gainesville church made headlines last year after distributing T-shirts that said, "Islam is of the Devil."

Full post as published by First Amendment Center on August 18, 2010 (boomark / email).