As they've done many
times before, Westboro Baptist Church leader Fred Phelps and
his daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper had planned to picket an
upcoming production of the Matthew Shepard play
The Laramie Project
-- but the United Kingdom will have none of their
"extremist" hate.
According to
London's
Daily Telegraph,
Phelps and his daughter have been barred from entering the
country because their church has called for violence against
gays.
The two had planned to
picket a production of the show at the school arts center in
Basingstoke, Hampshire, on Friday, but according to reports, if
they attempt to enter the country, they will be stopped by
immigration officials.
"Both these
individuals have engaged in unacceptable behavior by inciting
hatred against a number of communities," a U.K. Border Agency
spokesperson told the
Telegraph.
"The Government has made it clear it opposes extremism in all
its forms.
"We will continue
to stop those who want to spread extremism, hatred and violent
messages in our communities from coming to our country."
Phelps and members of
his Kansas church have regularly picketed the funerals of gay
men and women as well as U.S. soldiers, claiming their
deaths are punishment for America's tolerance of gays and
lesbians. (Advocate.com)
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