The men, all but one of them members of the far-right English Defence League, set fire to what appears to be the Muslim holy books on the anniversary of the 9/11 atrocities in the United States.
They say they carried out the “private joke” as a riposte to historical images of Muslim extremists burning American flags and effigies of western leaders.
However, all six insist that they have no idea who actually posted the video onto the internet, and say they now “bitterly regret” the stunt. All are now on bail pending further police inquiries.
The clip, recorded in the back yard of a public house in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, has been broadly condemned by other YouTube users, some of whom have expressed concern that British soldiers in Afghanistan could be targeted as a direct result.
They were marshalled by a man wearing a jacket bearing the logo: “English Defence League, Gateshead Division”.
The group admit to having been drinking at The Bugle in Felling, Gateshead, ahead of a Newcastle United match.
“It wasn’t anyone’s idea as such,” said the spokesman, who agreed to speak only on condition that all six remained anonymous.
“People are sick of British soldiers being killed out in Afghanistan and then being spat at and called baby killers when they come home.”
He added: “The last thing we would want is for any British soldier to be hurt as a result of this clip going out on YouTube”.
Speaking over a jukebox playing the rock song `This is England`, he claimed the decision to burn the books was taken“spontaneously”, with the group and about a dozen onlookers moving into the back yard.
Some wrapped tea-towels around their heads as the first book went up in flames.
On the video members of the gang are heard shouting: “This is for the boys in Afghanistan. September 11, international Burn a Koran Day, for all the people of 9/11. This is how we do it in Gateshead, right.”
They are then shown burning a second book.
Police visited The Bugle last Wednesday after the video was posted online and two men were arrested on suspicion of stirring racial hatred. They have since been released on bail.
Four more men were arrested and bailed on Wednesday pending further inquiries, Northumbria Police said.
“The arrests followed the burning of what are believed to have been two Korans in Gateshead on September 11,” a spokesman said.
He added that the men were not arrested for watching or distributing the video, but on suspicion of burning the Koran.
Gateshead Council and the force issued a joint statement to stress that community relations in the area were good.
It said: “The kind of behaviour displayed in this video is not at all representative of our community as a whole.
“Our community is one of mutual respect and we continue to work together with community leaders, residents and people of all faiths and beliefs to maintain good community relations.”
The incident follows tensions in America after an extremist Florida pastor threatened to burn 200 copies of the Koran on the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York.
Terry Jones faced an international outcry when he announced the plan, which he later abandoned.
The Telegraph
