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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/nov/26/birmingham-anti-lgbt-school-protests-judge-ban-permanent
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Birmingham anti-LGBT school protests: judge makes ban permanent | Birmingham anti-LGBT school protests: judge makes ban permanent |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| High court rules that exclusion zone around Anderton Park primary will remain in place | High court rules that exclusion zone around Anderton Park primary will remain in place |
| A high court judge has permanently banned activists against LGBT equality lessons from demonstrating outside a Birmingham primary school. | A high court judge has permanently banned activists against LGBT equality lessons from demonstrating outside a Birmingham primary school. |
| Protesters went head to head with a local authority during the five-day trial to stop protests outside Anderton Park school. The school, in the Sparkhill area of the city, has become the focus of a long campaign to halt LGBT equality messages being taught in the classroom. | Protesters went head to head with a local authority during the five-day trial to stop protests outside Anderton Park school. The school, in the Sparkhill area of the city, has become the focus of a long campaign to halt LGBT equality messages being taught in the classroom. |
| Most of the protesters have been of Muslim faith and some have stood regularly outside the school chanting “Let kids be kids” and carrying placards with the message: “Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.” | Most of the protesters have been of Muslim faith and some have stood regularly outside the school chanting “Let kids be kids” and carrying placards with the message: “Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.” |
| Birmingham city council launched court action to prevent more protests outside the school after about 300 people gathered at the gates in May. The demonstration included a speech by an imam who claimed anal sex, paedophilia and transgenderism were being taught in schools. | Birmingham city council launched court action to prevent more protests outside the school after about 300 people gathered at the gates in May. The demonstration included a speech by an imam who claimed anal sex, paedophilia and transgenderism were being taught in schools. |
| Following the five-day hearing in October, the high court judge Mr Justice Warby reserved his judgment until a later date. On Tuesday, he announced the verdict, saying an exclusion zone surrounding the school would remain in place permanently banning protesters from gathering outside the school. | |
| Warby said protesters had grossly misrepresented what was being taught at the school and caused a significant adverse reaction to children, teachers and local residents. | Warby said protesters had grossly misrepresented what was being taught at the school and caused a significant adverse reaction to children, teachers and local residents. |
| An emergency interim order was granted, and later extended in June, which sought to halt any further gatherings near the primary school that could disrupt pupils or intimidate staff. | An emergency interim order was granted, and later extended in June, which sought to halt any further gatherings near the primary school that could disrupt pupils or intimidate staff. |
| The temporary injunction, which has been made permanent, banned the defendants Shakeel Afsar, his sister Rosina – who had two children at Anderton Park but has since removed one of them – and Amir Ahmed from coordinating protests outside the school. | |
| However Warby lifted his earlier ban on social media criticism of the LGBT teaching. This acceptance of the argument for free online speech came after the intervention of Christian blogger John Allman. | |
| All three defendants gave evidence at the court hearing last month and contested the need for a legal injunction to curtail protests. Allman, from Okehampton, Devon, also opposed the imposition of what he claimed would be a “super-injunction”. | |
| In documents submitted to the court, Allman accused the council of choosing to “war-war rather than jaw-jaw” and said he had decided to became a formal defendant in the court proceedings as a member of the public. | |
| On Tuesday, Dr Tim O’Neill, director of education and skills at the council, said the judgment had vindicated the school and would protect the community from escalating levels of antisocial behaviour. | |
| He said: “As this court case has demonstrated, there remains a gap between the reality of what is and isn’t being taught at the school. Protests of this kind only serve to attract fringe elements whose aim is to stoke division and hatred. We would therefore continue to encourage any concerned parents to engage with the school to have constructive discussions and address any issues. | |
| “Looking ahead, it is important to remember that the Department for Education is introducing compulsory relationships education next year, helping children from all backgrounds understand the society they are growing up in, and fostering respect for others and for difference.” | |
| At a press conference after the verdict, the protesters said an appeal was highly likely and that the would continue to protest on the edge of the exclusion zone. | |
| The general secretary of National Association of Head Teachers, which has been supporting the schools affected by demonstrations in Birmingham, said the judgment made it “abundantly clear” that the school gate was no place to hold a protest. | |
| “These protests have been widely and rightly condemned and they should now be brought to an end with immediate effect. An end to the protests will help everyone involved restore a peaceful and productive teaching and learning environment as swiftly as possible,” said Paul Whiteman. | |
| “Dedicated public servants faithfully discharging their duty have an absolute right to feel confident and safe, pupils should never have to walk past noisy and aggressive protests on their way to school.” | |
| A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We’ve long said we want to end these protests and encourage positive dialogue, so we welcome the high court’s decision today. | |
| “We continue to work with the school and parents to encourage positive and constructive engagement.” |