LONDON — The British government has banned Fred Phelps, the controversial anti-gay Kansas pastor, and his daughter from Britain because they are “fostering hatred.” Phelps, pastor of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., and his daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper, were among 16 people named by the government May 5. Known for their “God Hates Fags” protest signs, they were cited specifically for “engaging in unacceptable behavior by fostering hatred, which might lead to intercommunity violence in the United Kingdom.”
The two of them were barred from entering Britain in February when they planned to picket a performance of “The Laramie Project,” a play that depicts the 1998 murder of gay student Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyo.
“Coming to the U.K. is a privilege, and I refuse to extend that privilege to individuals who abuse our standards and values to undermine our way of life,” said Home Secretary Jacqui Smith in a statement. (TAB)
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