‘Gaystapo’ row as anti-gay Archbishop has photo removed from uni display

Dec 21 2016
Written by Benjamin Butterworth

A row has broken out at King’s College London after the former Archbishop of Canterbury’s picture was removed following his opposition to same-sex marriage.

Lord Carey of Clifton’s picture had been among the alumni ‘wall of fame’ display from the central London university.

Students had campaigned for five years to have it removed, following his staunch opposition to marriage equality legislation.

Lord Carey previously claimed many Christians were “persecuted minority” by the David Cameron’s marriage law changes, and said he was “very suspicious” of the plans.

The university removed his picture from their collection recently, during a change of the display, citing that they “did not capture the diversity of our university campus.”

But some have responded furiously to the news – claiming the “gaystapo” have won the argument and calling students “sanctimonious petty Napoleons”.

Writing on the Conservative Women website, Rev Jules Gomes, a vicar at an evangelical church, and mental health lecturer Niall McCrae wrote: “For a prestigious institution of Christian heritage to allow this campaign to claim victory is worrying.

“Carey is not homophobic, but his name has been tarnished by a ‘gaystapo’ that refuses to acknowledge that a clergyman cares for all, while maintaining a traditional view of marriage.”

The pair then add that: “Only by Orwellian ‘double-think’ can the LGBT activists who attacked Carey carry the baton of tolerance.

“If only Carey had kept his beliefs to himself, perhaps he would have been tolerated.

“We could take lessons in accommodating Christianity from communist China.”

The campaign to remove Lord Carey’s picture from the “wall of fame” was led by student Ben Hunt, who is now the president of King’s student union.

He had pledged to have the image removed in his manifesto for LGBT Officer.

The Evening Standard reports a King’s spokesperson saying: “In 2015 a review of our window display policy across all our campuses was undertaken by representatives from External Relations, the Students’ Union and Alumni Relations.

“It was agreed that the current static displays, which are costly to maintain, or change, did not capture the diversity of our university community and that this should change.

“The decision was taken that we should expand the breadth of content to include the achievements of our students and staff.”