A Muslim man who attacked a protester for burning the Koran outside the Turkish consulate in London has been spared jail.
Moussa Kadri told Hamit Coskun, "I'm going to kill you" after he burned the holy book, returning to slash Mr Coskun with a knife.
Prosecutors said that he later told police that he was protecting his religion.
Judge Adam Hiddleston handed Kadri a 20-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, at Southwark Crown Court.
He must also carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and 10 days of rehabilitation.
The judge said the way Kadri lost his temper was "disgraceful", adding: "Use of blades is a curse on our community."
Kadri pleaded guilty to assault and having a bladed article in a public place.
Before the attack, Mr Coskun shouted "f*** Islam, "Islam is religion of terrorism" and "Koran is burning", as he lifted a flaming Islamic holy book during a protest in Rutland Gardens, Knightsbridge, West London.
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Moussa Kadri leaving Southwark Crown Court after being spared jail time
|PA
Kadri called Mr Coskun "a f****** idiot" and slashed him with a knife.
He then chased the protester, who stumbled forward onto the ground, where Kadri then spat at and kicked him, the court heard.
Kadri told police: "Burning the Koran? It's my religion, you don't burn the Koran. I protect my religion."
Greg Unwin, defending, said: "This was a response to a very unusual situation that Mr Kadri has demonstrated regret and remorse for.
Mr Coskun was slashed by Kadri for burning the Koran
| PA"His reaction was in the heat of the moment to what he perceived was a deeply offensive act on a holy book."
Mr Coskun was convicted at Westminster Magistrates' Court in June of a religiously aggravated public order offence of using disorderly behaviour "within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress", motivated by "hostility towards members of a religious group, namely followers of Islam", contrary to the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and section five of the Public Order Act 1986.
Previously speaking to GB News, Mr Coskun said: "To be honest, this was not a decision I was expecting. I was found guilty. I don't think there's a legal standing for this verdict.
"What I did was only use my freedom of expression. Freedom of demonstration is a democratic right, and you do it in the street."
PICTURED: Hamit Coskun leaving Westminster Magistrates' Court in June
| PAMr Coskun said he has "been fighting for 25 years" against Islamic propaganda, describing himself as an activist.
He told GB News: "The slogans I'm shouting are not random sentences I'm making up. I'm an atheist, I'm an Islam critic, and I'm an activist.
"I've been fighting for 25 years now. Because of the recent developments in Turkey and the fact that the country is going more and more towards Islamic propaganda, it pushed me. It caused me to have impulses against these impacts, and I got really emotive about this.
"The people I'm criticising are the radical Islamists, and I'm aware that it would upset them. For years, I was against ripping up the Koran or tearing the pages. But because it's been spreading everywhere, the radical Islamists and the Islamic propaganda, I decided to protest, demonstrate on the streets, and burn the Koran.
"I've been writing and expressing my opinions for years, but now, to be able to make a bigger impact, I decided this would be the right action. I'm not criticising Muslims. I'm criticising the religion Islam itself. I'm trying to raise awareness about the effects of the Koran."