Koran-protest pastor Terry Jones invited to UK rally

[EnglishLady]

12 December 2010 Last updated at 06:51 ET

Koran-protest pastor Terry Jones may be banned from UK

Home Secretary Theresa May has said she will be "actively looking at" whether to ban a controversial US pastor from entering the UK.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11978807



BBC News Dec 12


Campaigners are calling for a controversial US pastor to be banned from entering the UK to share his views on Islam with activists.

Terry Jones attracted condemnation when he threatened to burn copies of the Koran on this year's 9/11 anniversary.

He said his presence at an English Defence League rally in February would be "positive" but he admitted he would preach against "extremist Muslims".

Unite Against Fascism said it would be holding an anti-racism demonstration.

And the anti-extremist group Hope Not Hate is urging the home secretary to act.

The EDL said on its Facebook page that the rally in Luton, Bedfordshire, on 5 February would be "our biggest to date". It said Mr Jones would be joining the organisation to "speak out against the evils of Islam".

Mr Jones, pastor of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, which has fewer than 50 members, told BBC 5 Live he had "no intention" of burning the Koran in the UK.

'Intimidation and division'

He said his speech would be "on harmony, on the subject that Muslims are welcome in our country".

He said: "We have no problem with Muslims - we have freedom of speech and religion - Muslims who want to make our country their country, obey our laws and constitution.

"We have a problem with them, which I believe you all have also, when they go on the street... and they call for the death of the UK, for the death of Israel, for the death of America. They call for Sharia law.

"They say they are going to turn Buckingham Palace into a mosque and the Queen must convert to Islam or leave the country."

Mr Jones admitted that his knowledge of the EDL was "somewhat limited".

"It's only what I know through conversations with them that my office has had and then of course the different material in the internet that they have put out. I would describe them as a group who, I believe, in their words they want England to stay English."

Weyman Bennett, joint national secretary of Unite Against Fascism, said: "Terry Jones is coming here to whip up Islamophobia and racism.

"We intend on calling a mass demonstration where everyone can oppose the growth of racism and fascism in this country."

Global demonstrations

Anti-extremist group Hope not Hate condemned the invitation to Mr Jones and has launched a petition calling on the home secretary to ban him from entering the UK.

Its director Nick Lowles said: "Only extremists will benefit from his visit and, as we know, extremism breeds hatred and hatred breeds violence.

"It is yet another example of how the EDL exists only to sow the seeds of intimidation and division."

George Readings, spokesman for counter-extremism think tank, Quilliam said: "Terry Jones is only coming to the UK to address a rally by the EDL, a far-right group whose protests have a track record of degenerating into violence.

"This suggests that his presence in the UK will not be conducive to the public good. The EDL has only invited him here to stir up trouble."

A Home Office spokesman said: "We do not routinely comment on individual cases."

Home Secretary Theresa May has the power to exclude an individual from coming to the UK if she considers that the individual's presence here would not be conducive to the public good.

Mr Jones came to prominence in September after he announced plans for his "International Burn a Koran Day".

His plan was internationally condemned and sparked many demonstrations around the world. He eventually called off his protest

 

[greg334]

I hope HS May does not allow him a visa to enter the country.

 

[EnglishLady]

I hope HS May does not allow him a visa to enter the country.

You & me both.

Unfortunately with what happened during the run up to Rememberance Day (Veterans Day in US) is still angering A LOT of the UK ......

Extremist Muslims set fire to a lot of "poppies" - these paper poppies are sold prior to Rememberance Sunday in honour of those who have died serving their Country.
(I believe the poppy was first used in this way in rememberance of WW1 vicims at the poppy fields at Flanders).

So, sadly, the comments I am reading on BBC and Sky News are in the main - let him come & upset the muslims.

I really hope he does not come, the Police already have their hands full with the Student riots that are going on in the UK.

 

[EnglishLady]

BBC News Dec 13

EDL blocks Koran protest pastor Terry Jones from event

A right-wing group has said plans for a controversial US pastor to speak at one of its events have been shelved.

Terry Jones, who threatened to burn copies of the Koran earlier this year, was invited to speak at an English Defence League (EDL) rally in Luton.

The home secretary was considering banning Mr Jones from entering the UK.

But a spokesman for the EDL confirmed the invitation to Mr Jones had been withdrawn because of his critical views on homosexuality and race.

Mr Jones told the BBC that he had not heard "from them personally" and that the EDL "had bowed to pressure from the government... and people within their own organisation".

He added he planned to come to the UK next year anyway.

"We will probably come to London sometime in February and organise something in London," he said.

"We will probably announce our plans sometime this week."

The EDL had said on its Facebook page that the rally in Luton on 5 February would be "our biggest to date".

It said Mr Jones would be joining the event to "speak out against the evils of Islam".

'Anti-homophobic'

But speaking on BBC Radio Derby, Guraming Singh from the EDL, said Mr Jones had approached them several times wanting to speak at an event.

He said: "A few of us have been debating the question of whether we bring him or not and after doing some research and seeing what his personal opinions are on racism and homosexuality, we are not allowing him to speak at our demonstration.

"He is not the right candidate for us.

"Although the English Defence League are sincere to what he has to say about Islam, we do not agree with some of his manifesto such as some of his issues with homosexuality and some of his issues with race.

"The EDL is anti-homophobic and we are a non-racism organisation."

Home Secretary Theresa May said she had the power to exclude an individual from coming to the UK if she considered they were not conducive to the public good or threatened national security.

Following her comments, Mr Jones told the BBC he planned to speak against "radical element of Islam", not "all Islam".

He also said any ban on him coming to the UK would be "incorrect and unfair", and "unconstitutional" in the US.

Unite Against Fascism said it would be holding an anti-racism demonstration to coincide with the EDL rally, and the anti-extremist group Hope Not Hate is urging the home secretary to act