Pro-Trump US preacher dropped by tour venues after outcry over homophobic comments
Seven venues have dropped Franklin Graham's UK tour this summer after an outcry over his views on homosexuality and Islam
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
US evangelical preacher Franklin Graham, a staunch supporter of Donald Trump, has been dropped by every venue booked for his planned UK tour.
The seven venues cancelled following public outcry about Mr Graham’s views on Islam and homosexuality.
Mr Graham, the son of preacher Billy Graham, had planned to tour the UK from late May until mid-June, with a further event scheduled in London in October.
In a statement, Mr Graham said that opposition in the UK came from “a small but vocal minority.”
The tour website now states: “We are still finalising where the Graham Tour will be held, but we want to be clear that the initiative and all associated training courses will take place on the same dates as originally planned.”
Liverpool’s mayor, Joe Anderson, tweeted that the city is proud of its LGBT+ community and would not allow hatred and intolerance to go unchallenged.
The final venue to cancel was in Newcastle. The group Northern Pride thanked the numerous groups throughout the city for their support.
In a letter to the LGBT+ community posted to his Facebook page, Mr Franklin insists that he is not planning on bringing on bringing “hateful speech” to the UK. He attempts to clarify his position on homosexuality as a sin, before inviting the community to come and hear the gospel.
Mr Graham has previously described advances in LGBT+ rights such as same-sex marriage as “a full-scale assault against Christianity and the followers of Christ … The architect behind this offensive is none other than Satan himself.”
He has also claimed that President Obama was “born a Muslim” and that Islam is “evil” and “wicked”.
More recently, in reference to Democratic presidential candidate Mayor Pete Buttigieg, he tweeted that the Bible “defines homosexuality as sin, something to be repentant of, not something to be flaunted, praised or politicised.”
Recent polling data finds that attitudes towards LGBT+ rights in the US have become more positive in recent years, including among Evangelicals.
Late last year Mr Graham jumped to Mr Trump's support when Christianity Today, the evangelical magazine started by his father, published a stinging editorial criticising the president's “grossly immoral character”.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments