Terry Jones, the fringe pastor from Florida best known for his handlebar moustache and his ability to enthrall the media by threatening to burn the Muslim Qur’an, was denied entry to Canada on Thursday.

Jones was attempting to drive across the border, en route to a Toronto rally. But he was stopped by the Canadian Border Services Agency and subjected to a four-hour search typically reserved for suspected drug smugglers or terrorists. His luggage was opened, his car was torn apart and sniffer dogs were called in.

Jones was refused entry on a trumped-up pretext: 19 years ago in Germany he had been fined for calling himself a “doctor” (he claims he has an honorary doctorate in theology) and last year at a rally in Detroit, he was charged with breaching the peace. The Detroit charges were thrown out on appeal and Jones claims the German fine was overturned too.

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