Anti-LGBTI protesters allegedly egged a group of activists putting up messages of support to teachers outside a school.
A group of 12 women and one man claim they were attacked while putting up banners and rainbow flags outside Anderton Park Primary School in Birmingham, UK, on 19 May. The school is one of many in the area facing protests from parents for its LGBTI-inclusive education programs.
The messages on the banners included the phrase ‘Love is the answer’ and ‘no to Islamophobia, no to homophobia’.
One of the activists hanging the messages, Tracy, 49, said she felt ‘scared and intimidated’. A group of men arrived on the street and told them to get out of the community.
She told BirminghamLive: ‘It was awful. I was shaking. We had no intention of disturbing anyone – we were putting up banner and messages we had made to show solidarity with staff.
‘We wanted them to see something positive when they turned up for work and to see they had our backing.’
Both the group and nearby residents called 999 and the police arrived. The police are now reviewing videos and CCTV and try to identify the culprits.
However, most of the artwork and messages have been torn down.
Coordinator of the protests against LGBTI-inclusive lessons in Birmingham schools, Shakeel Asfar, laid the blame on the LGBTI activists.
In a series of Tweets, Asfar said they disturbed residents by turning up at night and intimidating people with rainbow flags.
One of the residents on the road spoke to BirminghamLive: ‘It looked incredibly intimidating. At one point the group putting up messages were trying to leave the street but were blocked in by the large group of men.’
This comes around continued attacks on the ‘No Outsiders’ program. Originally taught at Parkfield school in Birmingham by head teacher Andrew Moffatt, its message is acceptance to a wide range of people and families.
The teaching of No Outsiders has provoked protests across the city. The headteacher of one school told the Sunday Times that a mother told a teacher ‘It [being LGBT] is disgusting. If my child turned out like that, I would have to kill him for his honor’.
Demonstrations have continued daily. The UK government recently passed through updated guidelines for their relationship and sex education lessons to include age-appropriate, LGBTI-inclusive relationships.
Many of the protests say it restricts their religious liberty. Also, many claim they are not homophobic, they insist they do not want to teach their children that being gay is okay.
