THE headteacher of a primary school in Birmingham that is at the centre of a row over LGBT lessons said on Tuesday (15) that there has been a rise in homophobic attacks following same-sex teaching protests.
Sara Hewitt-Clarkson, Anderton Park primary headteacher, said there has been a 333 per cent rise in homophobic attacks in parts of Birmingham. Citing figures released by the West Midlands police, Hewitt-Clarkson said there were six incidents in March 2018. In the following March, the figure rose to 26.
“There was a huge rise in homophobic attacks … some of the behaviour outside the school has legitimised those attacks,” she said.
She made these remarks during a hearing to rule whether an exclusion zone around Anderton Park primary banning protests chould be made permanent.
Tom Brown, man who filmed some of the protests, said demonstrators compared LGBT people to “dogs and paedophiles”.
“If someone compares me to a dog for my sexuality then I am fairly sure that violates the Equality Act,” said Brown, who reported the issue to the police.
During the hearing, the headteacher also said that leading protester Shakeel Afsar confronted her in her office in a "volatile and aggressive" manner demanding she stop LGBT equality lessons.
Sge said: “He slammed his hands down on my desk. The first thing he said was he ‘demanded’ what I should do. He was volatile and aggressive, with little eye contact - he would shout and then apologise quietly then shout.
“I had never been in a meeting like it in 22 years of teaching.”
She added: "Yes, we say it is okay to be gay, because it is.
“There is a tension of course when some people believe homosexuality is sinful.
“But it is not sinful in British law.”
The hearing is due to last for a week.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)