Gay Protesters Angry over 'Insulting' Muslim Cleric

By Helen William, PA News

Controversial Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi was set to walk into a storm of protest today at his latest public appearance. Gay rights campaigners branded his appearance, alongside London mayor Ken Livingstone, at a conference on an Islamic woman’s right to wear the hijab head-dress as an “insult to all men and women”.

Watched by police, they were waiting outside London’s City Hall, holding banners claiming “Qaradawi Endorses Stoning of Gays” and “Defend Muslims, Fight Muslim Homophobia”.Dr al-Qaradawi, who has been heavily criticised after describing suicide bombers as “martyrs”, is now set to face flak from gay rights groups and divert attention away from the controversial hijab ban in France.

His appearance today forced Green MEP Jean Lambert to pull out of the conference rather than share a platform with him.

Peter Tatchell, of gay rights group OutRage!, said: “He is not a fit and proper person to be invited here to City Hall as an honoured guest of the mayor. “It is an insult to every man and woman in London that he has been given a platform. “He should not be here, his views stir up hatred and prejudice. “The Mayor of London is supposed to speak for all Londoners and represent a multi-cultural city where everyone can feel safe. “Ken Livingstone would not give a platform to the BNP. Why is he giving one to this man?”

Darren Johnson, a Green London Assembly member, joined the protest and said: “As an Assembly member, I am absolutely outraged that City Hall is being used as a platform for someone with such hateful views. “The invitation should be withdrawn and he should be banned from City Hall. “It is damaging relations with the Muslim community in London. The mayor’s invitation has been a complete mistake. Most Muslims in London are going to reject these hateful views.”

The day-long event – A Woman’s Right To Choose – is organised by the Muslim Women Society and the Muslim Association of Britain. It is billed as the launch of a European Rights Campaign aimed at winning support for Muslim women to wear the hijab – but Dr al-Qaradawi’s presence could deliver a damaging blow.

Ms Lambert, a passionate campaigner against the hijab ban, pulled out after being told that Dr al-Qaradawi has described homosexuality as “a disease that needs a cure” and discussed whether that “cure” should be death. She feels the campaign is doing itself “no favours” in allowing Dr al-Qaradawi’s controversial religious beliefs to overshadow an issue of “respect for freedom and human rights”. Ms Lambert said: “I fear that my presence at the conference could be interpreted as evidence that I myself support a discriminatory position that I do not share. “My support for the pro-hijab campaign is based on my commitment to human rights and freedom of expression and the belief that all sections of society should enjoy equality of treatment before the law. This is, of course, a political position rather than a theological one.”

More than 250 delegates are set to attend the conference, which is expected to be the 78-year-old’s last public appearance before he flies home to Qatar. Milena Buyum of the National Assembly Against Racism, who is chairing one of the conference debates, said: “This is the launch of a single-issue campaign on the banning of the hijab. “There is serious concern about the possibility of Islamophobia and the banning of the hijab spreading and that is the capacity in which we are supporting the conference.”

Dr al-Qaradawi has been banned from the US since 1999. His supporters say he is a well-respected and moderate scholar whose comments have been taken out of context by opponents. But others, including Jewish groups, have described him as a “thoroughly unwelcome visitor” who should be thrown out of Britain.