Church leaders condemn 'anti-Islamic' protests

Bishop Alan McGuckian said he was appealing for people to "seek peace"

Church leaders in Northern Ireland say they are "appalled" by calls for "anti-Islamic" protests this weekend.

A number of social media posts have been shared asking for people to gather and block roads in the greater Belfast area and elsewhere.

The police have said they are aware of the social media posts and are planning a "proportionate policing response".

It comes after two nights of violent protest in English towns this week, following a knife attack in Southport.

In a statement, Ch Supt Stephen Murray said police are aware of social media posts calling for protests across Northern Ireland including "specific calls to block roads using women and children".

"It is unclear at this time what the actual provenance for these posts or appetite for this activity is," he added.

"We will continue to plan a proportionate policing response and will continue to engage with those groups likely to be affected by any protest activity."

The Bishop of Down and Connor, Alan McGuckian, said that in recent days there had been "disturbing scenes of violence, rioting and protest, often motivated by Islamophobia, xenophobia and racism, organised and mobilised by social influencers".

"It has come to my attention that there are also those in Northern Ireland, often cloaked with the anonymity of social media, that are similarly stoking the coals of fear and mistrust against Muslims," he added.

"I make an appeal calling for all to remain calm, to seek peace and to promote community harmony."

Jon Boutcher described the posts on social media as "poisonous nonsense"

When asked about the potential protests at a meeting of the Policing Board on Thursday, Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said the police were still trying to establish who was behind them.

"There is no set organisation showing themselves on social media which defines the cowardly nature of the people who do this nonsense," he added.

"If there are to be any gatherings we will police them and we will police them effectively."

Rev Trevor Gribben said the incitement of hatred "has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the Christian gospel"

Rev Trevor Gribben, clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, said "the pursuit of such hatred, and the incitement of others to hate and instil fear" was "abhorrent".

Mr Gribben added that it was his "prayer" that people "seeking to undertake this misguided course of action think again".

Rev Dr John Alderdice, president of the Methodist Church in Ireland, also joined the criticism of those calling for protests.

"The shocking knife attack in Southport last Monday where three children were killed and many others injured, saddened, and horrified us all.

"However, to use this attack as a pretext for anti-immigration protests is abhorrent."

Speaking on the BBC’s Evening Extra programme Rev Alderdice said he was “gravely concerned that protests like this should take place that would stir fear and division and racism across our society”.

Also speaking on the programme, the former moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Norman Hamilton said “we need to do a bit more than simply issue condemnations”.

He said that “any group, any organisation, any church with self-respect would want to... put as much distance as they can between themselves and what’s proposed".

But he added that “we need to understand why people want to engage in these sorts of protests and deal with those underling angst and concerns”.

More than 100 people have been arrested at demonstrations in England after violent disorder was sparked by the murder of three primary school age girls at a dance studio in Southport on Monday.