Curate arrested after Cathedral protest
A Curate claims he was bundled into the cloisters of Gloucester Cathedral and arrested after protesting against a controversial speaker.
Reverend Keith Hebden walked to the front of the nave to try to interrupt Messianic Jewish preacher David Silver.
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Reverend Keith Hedben
But he claims he was escorted out into the cloisters by five members of the congregation - leaving him with bruising on his left arm.
He was then arrested on suspicion of breaching the peace but he was de-arrested a few minutes later after promising police he would head straight home.
The talk, on Monday night, was organised by Gloucestershire Prayer Walkers.
The 33-year-old said: "Just as I finished the question, two people grabbed my arms and there were at least five men around me pretty quickly."
Rev Hebden, of St Katharine's, Matson, said he went "floppy" to show his protest was peaceful but said he suffered fingermark bruises to his left arm as he was taken out.
Rev Hebden said the police were then called.
He said he had no complaint with police, who arrested him in the cloisters.
Mr Silver's visit attracted controversy after Nailsworth mayor Norman Kay asked the Dean of Gloucester, the Very Reverend Nick Bury, to call off the talk because he feared it could inflame cultural and religious relations in the county.
The talk went ahead after the Dean asked the Prayer Walkers for assurances that Mr Silver would not say anything inflammatory.
Mr Silver's Out of Zion ministry preaches the belief that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah.
"He preaches that Arabs should be removed from Palestine," claimed Rev Hebden. "I wanted to protest against that, so I asked a question."
Mr Silver denied Rev Hebden's assertion about Palestine and said he did not know who took him from the nave.
"I have never said that," said Mr Silver yesterday, before his return to Israel.
"I don't believe that.
"It was not violent. They asked him to stop and he would not.
"They took him out and the police took over.
"I was kind of expecting worse than that. We had a forum earlier in the day and he could have made his point then but he did not."
Rev Bury said Cathedral officials had not taken Rev Hebden from the nave but believed it was Prayer Walkers members.
A Prayer Walkers spokeswoman could not confirm if that was the case.
Gloucestershire police confirmed a man was arrested on suspicion of causing a breach of the peace at the Cathedral, but said he was given words of advice and de-arrested after he agreed to leave peacefully.
Rev Hebden said he would not seek to press charges.
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by Ian M, England
Wednesday, September 23 2009, 7:37PM
“Joe K, what makes you say that it is "Arab land"? And, in any case, what bits of it is Israel occupying?”
by Joe K, Barton & Tredworth
Wednesday, September 23 2009, 4:45PM
“' Joe K, being anti-Zionist or anti-Israel is being anti-semitic, as it opposes the right of the Jewish people to live in their historic homeland -
Ian M, England
Nope, Ian, because 'anti-semitic', in the sense that you want to apply it, implies that anyone who opposes Israel's occupation of Arab land and killing of thousands of Palestinians does so because, bluntly, they hate Jews. Does that include Jews who oppose occupation as well? Are you going to come right out and say that that's *really* why the Reverend Nick interrupted the talk?”
by Ian M, England
Wednesday, September 23 2009, 3:04PM
“Joe K, being anti-Zionist or anti-Israel is being anti-semitic, as it opposes the right of the Jewish people to live in their historic homeland. It's also anti-semitic as the lack of homeland resulted in numerous persecutions of Jewish people living in other countries. The Jewish people and the land of Israel have been linked for thousands of years - you can't separate the them. There is a technical sense in which many middle-eastern people are called semitic, but in general use anti-semitism always refers to the Jewish people.”
by Ian M, England
Wednesday, September 23 2009, 3:00PM
“Joe K, being anti-Zionist or anti-Israel is being anti-semitic, as it opposes the right of the Jewish people to live in their historic homeland. It's also anti-semitic as the lack of homeland resulted in numerous persecutions of Jewish people living in other countries. The Jewish people and the land of Israel have been linked for thousands of years - you can't separate the them. There is a technical sense in which many middle-eastern people are called semitic, but in general use anti-semitism always refers to the Jewish people.”
by Joe K, Barton & Tredworth
Wednesday, September 23 2009, 1:04AM
“I'm sure the curate would argue that he was being, not 'anti-semitic', but anti-Zionist. And jews aren't the only semitic group in that part of the world. Are the IDF being 'anti-semitic' to the Palestinians?”