Franklin Graham: 'Nothing offensive' in Liverpool bus ads

The buses are advertising an event by controversial US evangelist Franklin Graham

American evangelist Franklin Graham has said there is "nothing offensive" about adverts on Liverpool's buses promoting his UK tour.

The city region's mayor has called for them to be removed and claimed they were promoting "hateful speech".

Steve Rotheram said he was angry about a "known hate preacher" being promoted on Stagecoach and Arriva vehicles.

Mr Graham, who previously said gay marriage was a "sin", is touring the UK and is due in Liverpool on 14 May.

He said it was "deeply concerning that certain public officials are attempting to interfere with our contracted advertising in the Liverpool area based on opposition to our religious beliefs".

He added: "There is nothing offensive in these adverts.

"The objection is to Reverend Franklin Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association based on our Christian beliefs.

"Unfortunately, this opposition is familiar and predictable."

Franklin Graham previously said he believed "marriage is for a man and a woman and that is what the Bible teaches us"

Arriva Bus UK said while the promotion adhered to advertising rules, it was reviewing its internal policies.

A Stagecoach spokesperson said: "Acceptance of any advertising is not an endorsement of any products, organisations or the views they represent".

Mr Rotheram has written to the bus companies, requesting the immediate removal of the adverts.

He wrote that displaying the preacher's views on buses used by people who "belong to the very communities that Mr Graham directs his bigotry and bile towards" was "inexcusable".

Steve Rotheram has written to the Stagecoach and Arriva, calling for the adverts to be removed

Mr Graham, the eldest son of the late preacher Billy Graham, is due to speak at the ACC Liverpool venue.

A previous event at the venue was cancelled in 2020 after the firm which runs it said they had been "made aware of a number of statements which we consider to be incompatible with our values".

Following Mr Rotheram's letter, a spokeswoman for the ACC Liverpool Group said "we do not support or condone" the preacher and explained that they had chosen in 2020 to "to challenge the original event taking place in the format proposed".

She said the venue had since "received satisfactory assurances from the organisers of the event that Reverend Franklin Graham's message will not be discriminatory, disrespectful or negative towards any particular communities, groups or individuals".

The venue, whose sole shareholder is Liverpool City Council, said it would set up a community advisory group to formally engage with groups in the area.

It is not the first time bus adverts for the preacher's events have met with opposition.

In 2018, Blackpool Borough Council and Blackpool Transport Services removed bus adverts for an evangelical rally featuring Mr Graham.

Last year a judge fined the council £109,000 after ruling the ban had disregarded "the right to freedom of expression" and breached the Human Rights Act.