Saracen’s Head pub landlord vows to fight lawsuit by convicted terrorist over ‘offensive’ name: ‘It’s part of our heritage!’

The landlord of a British pub which has become the subject of a lawsuit by a convicted terrorist has vowed to fight back against the claim that his establishment is “racist”.

Khalid Baqa, who was jailed for four years and eight months on five counts of dissemination of terrorist publications, has claimed The Saracen’s Head Inn in Amersham, Buckinghamshire has an “offensive” name and signage.

Speaking to GB News, landlord Robbie Hayes called the move a “complete joke”, adding that the pub has been called The Saracen’s Head for 500 years.

Discussing the lawsuit, Hayes admitted that initially he believed it was “some kind of scam”, but was “shocked” to learn that it wasn’t.

Hayes explained: “At first it was just shock, really. I thought it might have been some kind of scam, but because it was from HM courts and tribunals, I quickly realised it wasn’t.

“And then upon reading into the story and his claim that he actually came here, which I dispute, there was then several lines of different ‘offences’ for the actual signage.”

When asked by host Emily Carver if he has ever experienced a similar incident as landlord of the pub, Hayes declared: “I’ve never had nothing like this.”

Detailing one of the bases of Baqa’s case, in which he claims he visited the Amersham pub, Hayes revealed that having checked the CCTV from the day Baqa cited as the day he was there, Hayes confirmed that the convicted terrorist has “never been to this pub”.

Hayes told GB News: “I’d question the fact that he’s actually ever been to this pub. He said he came in here on October 27. CCTV footage and my staff suggest otherwise.

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“I deny he’s ever been in this town. I think he’s done it all from at home on the internet.”

Noting Baqa’s intentions to target 30 other pubs of the same name if he is successful in his lawsuit, Hayes urged other landlords to “club together” and fight against the claims.

Hayes stated: “Be vigilant – do as I did, and reject the claim. And perhaps we should all form a group and get together and fight it together. There’s strength in numbers.

“I’ve already rejected it. He has a certain amount of time to counter-reject it again. And I’ve even got to the point on the website where I had to select what course I’d be happy to go to if it actually did go to court, so that could actually happen further down the line.”

Defending his pub further, Hayes questioned just “how far” Baqa will go in taking public houses of the same name or similar to court, on the grounds of “offence” and “racism”.

Citing concerns for his financial stability and safety, Hayes concluded: “It’s part of our heritage. There are several Saracen’s Heads up and down the country… where’s he going to stop with this?

“Upon probing him further about the actual offensive nature of the sign, he whittled it down to the fact that the word ‘head’ was the part that offended him.

“So what are we going to do with pubs called The King’s Head? The Queen’s head? I mean, where will this ever stop?”