OutRage! demo against anti-gay cleric
GL | 12.07.2004 15:04 | Gender | Repression
Gay rights group OutRage! etc staged a demo outside the conference attended by the anti-gay muslim cleric this morning.
pinched with apologies from gay.com today 10.7.04.
Hopefully pics and a report from OutRage! will follow as soon as poss.
Activists from gay rights and feminist groups staged a protest against Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi this morning, despite the professor attempting to distance himself from the controversy surrounding his visit to the capital.
The protest, organised by Outrage! took place outside City Hall this morning. al-Qaradawi will be speaking at a conference for European Muslims at the GLA headquarters later today, but has been besieged by controversy over previous comments he has allegedly made.
These include the supposed support for wife beating, suicide bombers and the burning and stoning of gay people.
Veteran campaigner Peter Tatchell last week urged London mayor Ken Livingstone to cut his ties with the cleric, but he has so far only reiterated his support for him and the visit.
Tatchell said that sharing a stage with him was akin to the mayor inviting the BNP to speak at the GLA.
The protest was also due to be attended by politicians, including Green London Assembly Member Jenny Jones.
"Mayor Livingstone has invited to City Hall a man who advocates beating wives and killing gays. People who are intent on inciting violence or hatred of any kind have no place in City Hall and should be banned," she said in a statement.
However, al-Qaradawi has distanced himself from the comments attributed to him, in an interview with The Guardian newspaper over the weekend.
He says that although he stands by the fact that homosexuality is not accepted in the Koran, he is staunchly opposed to any punishment being given to gays and lesbians in non-Islamic states.
"My opinion is that homosexuality is forbidden in Islam, as in Christianity," he told the newspaper.
"Muslims have no right to punish homosexuals or mistreat them as individuals."
He added that the press response to him as been "unfair", although those in the Muslim community had warmly welcomed him.
al-Qaradawi is set to leave the UK today, after the conference in the capital ends.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hopefully pics and a report from OutRage! will follow as soon as poss.
Activists from gay rights and feminist groups staged a protest against Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi this morning, despite the professor attempting to distance himself from the controversy surrounding his visit to the capital.
The protest, organised by Outrage! took place outside City Hall this morning. al-Qaradawi will be speaking at a conference for European Muslims at the GLA headquarters later today, but has been besieged by controversy over previous comments he has allegedly made.
These include the supposed support for wife beating, suicide bombers and the burning and stoning of gay people.
Veteran campaigner Peter Tatchell last week urged London mayor Ken Livingstone to cut his ties with the cleric, but he has so far only reiterated his support for him and the visit.
Tatchell said that sharing a stage with him was akin to the mayor inviting the BNP to speak at the GLA.
The protest was also due to be attended by politicians, including Green London Assembly Member Jenny Jones.
"Mayor Livingstone has invited to City Hall a man who advocates beating wives and killing gays. People who are intent on inciting violence or hatred of any kind have no place in City Hall and should be banned," she said in a statement.
However, al-Qaradawi has distanced himself from the comments attributed to him, in an interview with The Guardian newspaper over the weekend.
He says that although he stands by the fact that homosexuality is not accepted in the Koran, he is staunchly opposed to any punishment being given to gays and lesbians in non-Islamic states.
"My opinion is that homosexuality is forbidden in Islam, as in Christianity," he told the newspaper.
"Muslims have no right to punish homosexuals or mistreat them as individuals."
He added that the press response to him as been "unfair", although those in the Muslim community had warmly welcomed him.
al-Qaradawi is set to leave the UK today, after the conference in the capital ends.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GL