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LGBT people 'never felt more vulnerable' in Birmingham | LGBT people 'never felt more vulnerable' in Birmingham |
(about 2 hours later) | |
People who identify as LGBT say they have "never felt more vulnerable" in Birmingham, following protests against same-sex relationship education. | People who identify as LGBT say they have "never felt more vulnerable" in Birmingham, following protests against same-sex relationship education. |
Some Muslim parents have been protesting since January against the No Outsiders programme at Parkfield Community School in Alum Rock. | Some Muslim parents have been protesting since January against the No Outsiders programme at Parkfield Community School in Alum Rock. |
A West Midlands Police officer said the protests did not constitute a hate crime despite coming "very close". | |
Many at the meeting said they were disappointed in the protests' policing. | |
More than 100 people attended an open meeting on Thursday in Birmingham's gay village, the majority of whom agreed they felt increasingly threatened, anxious and frightened. | |
Birmingham LGBT said it had recorded a rise in hate crime. However, Insp Matt Crowley said protests outside Parkfield school did not constitute a crime, despite coming "very close to that line". | |
He said policing "hadn't been perfect" but the force took hate crime "very seriously". | |
For several weeks, parents, mostly of Muslim faith, have been calling on the school to scrap the programme that teaches children about same sex couples through story books. | For several weeks, parents, mostly of Muslim faith, have been calling on the school to scrap the programme that teaches children about same sex couples through story books. |
They believe the subject is "undermining parental rights and authority" and say the lessons are "toxic" and "disgusting". | |
Four other Birmingham schools have also stopped teaching No Outsiders following complaints by parents. | |
The city's Anderton Park Primary School - which does not teach the programme - was the scene of a ninth day of protests on Thursday by parents concerned about the teaching of LGBT issues. | |
Action is also spreading further afield, with parents in Greater Manchester saying they will remove their children from sex and relationship lessons over fears they will be taught about same-sex couples. | |
Ch Insp Sarah Tambling told Thursday's meeting police "are not the right people to sort this out - there needs to be a partnership". | |
She apologised to the group, the majority of whom raised their hands when she asked whether they felt increasingly vulnerable in Birmingham. | |
Andrew Moffat, Parkfield school's deputy head teacher who devised the No Outsiders programme, said the school was now re-engaging with parents and a meeting had been held on Thursday afternoon. | |
Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone. | Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone. |