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21 May 2019

LGBT supporters ‘pelted with eggs’ outside Birmingham school being subjected to homophobic protests

Police are investigating the incident outside Anderton Park Primary School, which comes after seven weeks of protests against LGBT-inclusive education.

By Will Stroude

Police have launched an investigation after people showing solidarity with staff teaching LGBT-inclusive education were pelted with eggs outside a Birmingham primary school.

The group of around 12 women and one man – all of whom are part of the LGBTQ community – were verbally abused and attacked as they tied messages promoting equality outside Anderton Park Primary School on Sunday night (19 May), Birmingham Live reports.

The school, like others in and around Birmingham, has been subject to ugly demonstrations the last few weeks from homophobic parents angry over the school’s teaching of an LGBT-inclusive curriculum. 

One member of the group attacked on Sunday night, Tracy, told Birmginham Live: “It was awful. I was shaking. We had no intention of disturbing anyone – we were putting up the banners and messages we had made to show solidarity with staff.

“We wanted them to see something positive when they turned up for work, and to see they had our backing.”

The homophobes behind the current protests claim that up to 600 of Anderton Park’s 800 pupils were kept off school on Monday (20 May), as the government and local authorities continue to fail to get a grip on the situation.

Police are also investigating threatening messages sent to the school’s headteacher Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson, who told Brimingham Live that “something needs to be done” to end the stand-off.

Discussing the attack on the LGBTQ supporters which took place outside the school gates, she said: “I am really really upset about what happened outside my school last night.

 “We had some lovely people who have been supporting us who asked to put up some ribbons and artwork to do a lovely thing for the school.

“One of the protestors said they were shouted at for coming into ‘our area’ – which is really concerning to me. These are all our areas for all of us. Nobody should be excluded from anywhere. “

Hewitt-Clarkson, who has faced calls to resign from homophobic parents over the school’s LGBT-inclusive lessons, added: “People come to me asking what should we do? Everyone means well but they ask me what should be done. I don’t have all the answers but something needs to be done to bring this to a close.

Anderton Park Primary School headteacher Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson has received threaming and abusive messages from homophobic parents

“This is a national issue of great importance. A lot is at stake here.”

Birmingham East police Chief Superintendent Kenny Bell said that the police presence outside Anderton Park Primary School would be increased in the wake of the attack.

“We remain wholly committed to tackling all forms of hate crime; such behaviour is completely unacceptable within our many diverse and multi-cultural communities.

“Officers have been working closely with the school, the local community and the parents over recent months and have policed a number of protests.

“We continue to work in partnership with the school and our local communities.

“There will be a visible police presence in the area to offer reassurance to our communities over the coming days.” 

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