Pub bosses and punters working at Saracens Head pubs across the UK have rallied around a landlord who is being taken to court by a convicted terrorist because he is ‘deeply offended’ by the name.
Khalid Baqa, who was jailed for four years for preparing Jihadi propaganda, has sparked outrage by trying to win nearly £2,000 from the Saracens Head Inn in Chesham, Buckinghamshire.
He described the ‘depiction of a bearded Arab/Turk’ on the pub’s sign as racist and also insisted the depiction ‘incites violence’.
Baqa is demanding £1,850 from the landlord and has also announced plans to take on more than 30 other pubs with the same name if successful.
Pub landlord Robbie Hayes has vowed to fight back against the lawsuit – and he is being backed by other Saracens Head establishments across the UK.
Staff at pubs with identical names told MailOnline they were stunned by the demand for money and Baqa’s claim that he is offended by the name.
Caroline Machell-Ranson, who is head chef at the Saracens Head in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, said: ‘This is just ridiculous and is crazy that he is offended by the name.
‘This pub has been here since the 16th century and everyone in the village knows about it, and there have never been any complaints.
Khalid Baqa (pictured), who was jailed for four years for preparing Jihadi propaganda, has sparked outrage by trying to win nearly £2,000 from the Saracens Head Inn in Chesham, Buckinghamshire
Baqa said the sign – which depicts a brown-skinned man of Arab or Turkish descent – ‘instilled worry and fear in me since it was clearly xenophobic, racist and inciting violence to certain people’
Pub landlord Robbie Hayes (pictured) has vowed to fight the lawsuit, calling it a ‘complete joke’
‘This is a just a village pub that has been here since 1615, and although I do not know when it was called The Saracens Head, the name should stay.’
The pub features a Saracen brandishing a sword and is prominent outside the venue on the main road through the Hertfordshire village.
Inside one corner of the pub with its oak beams and low ceilings is a fireplace are half a dozen ornaments featuring a Saracens head.
Other staff at the pub, who asked not to be named, said it was ‘madness’ for the convicted Jihadi to demand the name be changed.
‘You cannot whitewash history. The name has been around for hundreds of years and it is what it is,’ said one worker.
Another added: ‘This man needs to get a life. What makes it worse is that he is a convicted terrorist.’
MailOnline visited another Saracens Head pub in Towcester, near Northampton, where punters were equally offended by Baqa and his demands.
‘To be honest I am offended by his orange beard,’ said Ian Frith about Baqa.
Staff and punters working at The Saracens Head, Kings Langley, were heavily critical of Baqa suing the landlord in Buckinghamshire
The pub features a Saracen brandishing a sword and is prominent outside the venue on the main road through the Hertfordshire village
Inside one corner of the pub with its oak beams and low ceilings is a fireplace are half a dozen ornaments featuring a Saracens head
‘Even if the Saracens Head was called The Jihadi Arms it would not bother me.
‘There is so much these days that offends people and for no good reason that you become afraid to say anything.
‘I’ve never heard anyone complain about the name and have lived here for 20 years. It’s a local pub and people like it.’
David Morgan, who sat inside the pub nursing a pint, added: ‘There are much more important things to worry about than a name.
‘I guess this guy is just trying his luck to try and get some money. The name should stay and the pub should not back down.’
Lynn Suter said: ‘The name doesn’t offend me, and I think it is awful that he is trying to get money from the landlord.’
Others in Towcester shared the outrage that the Saracens Head might face legal action from a convicted terrorist.
‘I think he has got a bloody cheek and should be told where to go,’ said one local.
‘What’s next? Will a pub called The White Lion be sued because someone is afraid of animals or because it has the word white. in the name.
‘There are so many pubs with a rich history that you could question their name. It is utterly ridiculous.’
MailOnline visited another Saracens Head pub in Towcester, near Northampton, where punters were equally offended by Baqa and his demands
Ian Frith (pictured) told MailOnline: ‘I’ve never heard anyone complain about the name and have lived here for 20 years. It’s a local pub and people like it.’
Lynn Suter (pictured) said: ‘The name doesn’t offend me, and I think it is awful that he is trying to get money from the landlord.’
Many in Towcester shared the outrage that the Saracens Head might face legal action from a convicted terrorist
It comes after the landlord being sued, Robbie Hayes, told The Sun he would be fighting back against the lawsuit which he said was a ‘complete joke’.
‘This has been called The Saracens Head for 500 years,’ he said.
‘He’s just chancing his hand. Of course it worries me – you never know with people like this.’
The 52-year-old added that none of his pubgoers are racist and that he did not believe the sign or the name were racist but instead were ‘simply historic’.
Baqa has filed a ‘claim of money’ form an application to county court for a sum of cash a person believes they are owed.
His application was previously referred to a small claims court.
In a submission explaining the reason behind his claim, Baqa said the sign – which depicts a brown-skinned man of Arab or Turkish descent – ‘instilled worry and fear in me since it was clearly xenophobic, racist and inciting violence to certain people.’
He goes on to claim to have contacted the pub four times and even visited the public house in person. However staff at the Saracens Head Inn have no record.
In 2018, Baqa was jailed for four years and eight months after admitting five counts of dissemination of Terrorist publications.
Baqa claimed to have always been offended by pub names like the Buckinghamshire pub.
Saracen was a term used until the 5th century to refer to Arabs and and then also Muslims years later.
It is among the most popular name for a pub in the UK alongside titles such as the Red Lion.
Despite the name harking back to the time of the crusades, this pub was only built in 1530.