A teenager appeared in court on Wednesday charged with religiously aggravated actual bodily harm against a priest in east London.
Babul Islam, 19, a grocery assistant of Barnardo Street, was bailed after appearing at Thames Magistrates' Court, Scotland Yard said.
Canon Michael Ainsworth, 57, suffered cuts and bruises after being hit in the grounds of St George-in-the-East church in Canon Street Road, near Whitechapel, earlier this month.
Islam is alleged to have attacked the 57-year-old churchman while hurling insults at his occupation, police said.
The incident took place at about 7 pm on March 5.
Islam is due back in court next month, a spokesman said.
