Somali Gay Community - University scolded for hosting anti-gay hate cleric

University scolded for hosting anti-gay hate cleric

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London's leading academic institution, King’s College, hosted a talk by Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abdullah Hakim Quick, last Thursday - despite calls for it to have been cancelled. However, in the past, he has stated that AIDS is caused by the “filthy practices” of homosexuals and that the Islamic position on homosexuality is “death”.

Sheikh Quick was invited to speak as part of the University of London Union’s Green Week campaign, on Islamic solutions to environmental issues.

A college spokesman said that they only became aware of any controversy surrounding the talk at the last minute, when details of his phobic views came to light.

After discussions between KCL, King’s College London Students Union and King’s LGBT, it was agreed that the event would go ahead under certain conditions - despite vocal opposition from Peter Tatchell and his peers.

The conditions were that representatives from KCL, KCLSU, King’s LGBT and the Jewish Society would be present; Sheikh Quick would only discuss Islam and the environment, and if he strayed away from the agreed subject matter then the discussion would be ended immediately - an agreement that was apparently met, according to an internal source.

However, the event has sparked criticism for its poor management.

Human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell, said: “King’s College’s decision to bar entry to Sheikh Quick’s meeting to journalists and independent human rights observers smacks of secrecy. It suggests that they had something hide.

"Closed meetings violate the principle of free and open debate.”

James Pickering (Pink Paper) - 1 March 2010.

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