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| LGBT teaching row: Birmingham primary school protests permanently banned | LGBT teaching row: Birmingham primary school protests permanently banned |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Demonstrations against LGBT inclusive education have been permanently banned outside a primary school. | Demonstrations against LGBT inclusive education have been permanently banned outside a primary school. |
| A High Court judge ruled in favour of an exclusion zone to remain around Anderton Park in Birmingham which has been targeted by protesters for months. | A High Court judge ruled in favour of an exclusion zone to remain around Anderton Park in Birmingham which has been targeted by protesters for months. |
| The protests had an averse affect on pupils, residents and staff, leading to 21 teachers being treated for stress, Mr Justice Warby said. | |
| Campaigners accused the city council of trying to silence debate. | |
| The protests at the school in Balsall Heath aimed to stop LGBT relationships education, with many parents and activists claiming it contradicts their Islamic faith and is not "age appropriate". | The protests at the school in Balsall Heath aimed to stop LGBT relationships education, with many parents and activists claiming it contradicts their Islamic faith and is not "age appropriate". |
| Since June protesters have gathered just outside the exclusion zone. | Since June protesters have gathered just outside the exclusion zone. |
| In a hearing last month, the city council argued an interim injunction should be extended beyond school gates and made permanent. | |
| Birmingham City Council said the noisy protests at the school gates were disrupting lessons and meant children were unable to use the playground. | Birmingham City Council said the noisy protests at the school gates were disrupting lessons and meant children were unable to use the playground. |
| Permanently banning the protests, Mr Justice Warby said they had an adverse affect on pupils, teachers and residents, citing that 21 teachers had been treated for stress. | Permanently banning the protests, Mr Justice Warby said they had an adverse affect on pupils, teachers and residents, citing that 21 teachers had been treated for stress. |
| The council maintained the court action was in response to campaigners' behaviour, not the issue of the protests. | The council maintained the court action was in response to campaigners' behaviour, not the issue of the protests. |
| October's five-day hearing at the city's Priory Courts heard there were further "untrue" and "harmful" allegations made about the school on social media, and how a visiting imam had claimed to parents there were "paedophiles" inside the school. | October's five-day hearing at the city's Priory Courts heard there were further "untrue" and "harmful" allegations made about the school on social media, and how a visiting imam had claimed to parents there were "paedophiles" inside the school. |
| Other claims included that the school had a "paedophile agenda" and that staff were "teaching children how to masturbate". | Other claims included that the school had a "paedophile agenda" and that staff were "teaching children how to masturbate". |
| "None of this is true," Mr Warby said as he handed down the ban at Birmingham Civil Justice Centre. | "None of this is true," Mr Warby said as he handed down the ban at Birmingham Civil Justice Centre. |
| "None of the defendants have suggested it was true and the council has proved it is not true." | "None of the defendants have suggested it was true and the council has proved it is not true." |
| The lessons had been "misrepresented by parents," he said, adding the school does not promote homosexuality and seeks to weave the language of equality into everyday school life. | The lessons had been "misrepresented by parents," he said, adding the school does not promote homosexuality and seeks to weave the language of equality into everyday school life. |
| Birmingham City Council said it was "really pleased" with Mr Warby's decision. | |
| "This was always about protecting the school and community from the escalating levels of anti-social behaviour of the protests," Dr Tim O'Neill, the council's director of education and skills, said. | "This was always about protecting the school and community from the escalating levels of anti-social behaviour of the protests," Dr Tim O'Neill, the council's director of education and skills, said. |
| "Birmingham is diverse and inclusive - these are its strengths - and we must all come together to ensure all children get the best education possible." | "Birmingham is diverse and inclusive - these are its strengths - and we must all come together to ensure all children get the best education possible." |
| He said "fringe elements" had been attracted to the protests with the aim of "stoking division and hatred". | He said "fringe elements" had been attracted to the protests with the aim of "stoking division and hatred". |
| The prior injunction named lead protester Shakeel Afsar, who does not have children at the school, his sister Rosina, and Amir Ahmed, all of whom contested the need for a legal injunction. | The prior injunction named lead protester Shakeel Afsar, who does not have children at the school, his sister Rosina, and Amir Ahmed, all of whom contested the need for a legal injunction. |
| A Christian campaigner, John Allman, from Okehampton in Devon, had also opposed the exclusion zone, claiming it limited public protest. | A Christian campaigner, John Allman, from Okehampton in Devon, had also opposed the exclusion zone, claiming it limited public protest. |
| Mr Afsar had claimed the weekly protests were "peaceful" despite the use of megaphones and a sound-boosting PA system. | Mr Afsar had claimed the weekly protests were "peaceful" despite the use of megaphones and a sound-boosting PA system. |
| The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), which has supported the school, welcomed an end to the "noisy and aggressive protests". | The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), which has supported the school, welcomed an end to the "noisy and aggressive protests". |
| "This judgement makes it abundantly clear that the school gate is no place to hold a protest," a spokesperson said. | "This judgement makes it abundantly clear that the school gate is no place to hold a protest," a spokesperson said. |
| It was also welcomed by the Department for Education, which has previously faced criticism for a perceived lack of support for the school, but said it wants to "encourage positive dialogue". | It was also welcomed by the Department for Education, which has previously faced criticism for a perceived lack of support for the school, but said it wants to "encourage positive dialogue". |
| The injunction does not include an earlier temporary ban on the use of social media. | |
| 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. |