Violence breaks out between Christians and gays in Australian city
Police had to intervene when a clash broke out at a gay rights rally in Adelaide, Australia, this weekend.
The rally was held to mark International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO).
Around 150 gays and lesbians staged a peaceful mass wedding outside parliament but members of the Christian Street Church turned up with banners calling them ‘sinners’.
Scuffles then broke out and one woman who was part of the pro-gay side said she was pulled from her wheelchair.
Both sides blamed the other for the violence, although police forcibly removed two street preachers. No arrests were made.
Jason Virgo, who organised the rally, told Same Same: “I blame any violence on Saturday on the street preachers, they set out from the beginning to disrupt and antagonise people from the outset. Police removed two of the street preachers and no one from our community. I think that speaks for itself.”
Speaking for the Christian Street Church, Damien Gloury told ABC: “We thought we would go out and not try to disrupt because we do love everybody, it might sound like we’re condemning people but we’re not we’re just preaching the Bible.
“We’ve been mobbed, we’ve been hit, our banners have been thrown down and these people have been hating our guts just for proclaiming the Christian message in this nation and that’s what it’s about,” he said.
