LGBT activists protest British preacher who backed Ugandan anti-gay law
LGBT activists have protested a UK Christian pastor who went to Uganda to preach in favour of an anti-homosexuality law.
Paul Shinners, the managing director of the Christian Cornerstone Cafe in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, has previously been accused of supporting the introduction of anti-gay laws in Uganda.
While the first Anti-Homosexuality Act was being drafted in 2012, Mr Shinners spoke in the Ugandan capital of Kampala, saying: “Across the world people are looking at Uganda, because Uganda is the first country to stand up for God.
“There is no other nation world over that has such a plan and through this, Uganda is going to be blessed.”
He was targeted today by activists from the African LGBTI Out & Proud Diamond Group, with protesters chanting “Preach love not hatred” and “Shinners keep your hate out of Africa.”
The protesters called on Mr Shinners to retract the statements he had made in Uganda, and to speak out against current anti-gay legislation – which is being re-drafted, after the first version was struck down by a court.
Edrisa Kiyemba of Out and Proud Diamond group said “It’s unfortunate that Paul Shinners is a free man in the UK, yet I cannot be free in my home country – because of his homophobic preaching in Uganda.”
Mr Shinners – who has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing – labelled the protesters “bigots” for targeting him, despite video evidence of the speech he made.
He added: “I’ve already said we do not support legislation against homosexuality.”
Watch the original speech below:
Watch Shinners at the protest below:
