A convicted terrorist is suing a pub landlord over its sign, which he alleges is racist and “deeply offensive”.
The Saracen’s Head Inn is a historic pub, built in 1530 using timber from old ships, thirty miles from London in Amersham, Buckinghamshire.
The pub name, The Saracen’s Head, is said to be linked to the Crusades and seen as a sign of respect of the fighting qualities of enemies.
Khalid Baqa, 60, claims the “depiction of a bearded Arab/Turk incites violence” and is claiming £1,850 in compensation from the pub’s landlord.
In 2018, Baqa was jailed for four years and eight months after admitting five counts of dissemination of terrorist publications. He has since been released.
He told The Sun that he has “stopped all the terrorism stuff now.”
Baqa’s submission says: “While walking through the area I was shocked and deeply offended by what I saw.
“I saw pub signage depicting a brown-skinned bearded Arab/Turk male with a turban and captioned ‘The Saracen’s Head’.
“This instilled worry and fear in me since it was clearly xenophobic, racist and inciting violence to certain people. I immediately complained to the pub and requested the signage be removed.”
He told The Sun: “I’ve always been offended by pub names like these but I’ve only recently discovered how I can challenge them online.”
Baqa says he complained to the pub on several occasions, including visiting in person, but pub staff claim they have no record of this.
The pub’s landlord, Robbie Hayes, 52, said: “It’s a complete joke. This pub has been called The Saracen’s Head for 500 years.
“He’s just chancing his hand. Of course it worries me — you never know with people like this.
“No one at this pub is racist, we don’t believe the sign is racist and the name is simply historic.”
Baqa has confirmed that he intends to challenge 30 more pubs with the same name should his lawsuit be successful.
