LONDON, United Kingdom – LGBT activists and two gay Muslims from London today gathered in a small number outside Whitechapel Underground Station in London to attempt to change the attitudes of Britain’s Muslim community towards homosexuals and homosexuality.
The video above shows LGBT activists accosting Muslims in the street in Whitechapel – where in 2011 the religious make-up was 42.4 per cent Muslim, 18.4 per cent Christian, and 17.9 per cent No religion.
According to the Evening Standard, Ejel Khan and Sohail Ahmed held the event with long-standing gay rights activist Peter Tatchell.
Mr Ahmed said the campaign could “change lives”, adding: “I always feared that Muslims and non-Muslims alike would view me negatively for being both Muslim and gay. I thought that no one would understand me. I wish I had come across something like this during my darkest moments as a young gay Muslim. No one deserves to be alone.”
Mr Khan, 41, said: “Many mosques still don’t acknowledge and support their LGBT worshippers. That needs to change.”
The video shows a young, unidentified woman arguing with a Muslim man in the street. He keeps his voice low while she shouts into his face, clearly frustrated.
She says: “Certain hostility such as not approving of gay people creates hostility and violence.”
He responds, “We don’t hate anybody…” She interrupts, “But you will not approve”.
“Why do I have to approve?” he asks, “So you’re forcing me to approve it?… Why are you so worried that I have to approve it?”
“Why should I say I like gays?” he asks, “That means my son can be [the] same, is it? I don’t want him to be. Because that’s against my religion.”
The video ends with the activists smiling and pouting at the camera, whispering, “Solidarity” at one another.
The video shows that around five or sex LGBT activists attended the event.