Christians protest outside primary school over 'disgraceful' scrapping of Easter service to 'respect' other religions

Christian protesters person gathered extracurricular a schoolhouse which precocious scrapped Easter celebrations successful bid to 'respect divers spiritual beliefs'.

The faithful gathered extracurricular Norwood Primary School successful Eastleigh, Hampshire with banners speechmaking 'Headteacher Stephanie Mander wants to cancel Easter - let's cancel her!' aft the announcement.

They argued with radical during teaching hours astir 'wokeism' and what they assertion is the 'erasure of Christianity' successful schools.

The schoolhouse sent a missive to parents and carers informing them that neither their Easter Bonnet Parade nor their Easter Service would beryllium held this year.

But galore parents reacted with fury, which forced the schoolhouse to clarify that Easter volition beryllium celebrated with children being taught astir it successful lessons and assemblies and taking portion successful Easter-themed trade activities.

The radical of Christian protesters from the Living Word Church, based successful Fareham, Hampshire, held England flags with the words 'Jesus: the mode the information the life' and 'Jesus is kin' printed connected them extracurricular the school.

Several protesters wore headbands with bunny ears connected them.

Reverend Chris Wickland said the protestation was against the schoolhouse cancelling the Easter work and what helium called the exclusion of Christianity successful schools.

He added that the radical was 'not [there] to origin trouble'.

A radical of astir 10 parents took up presumption successful beforehand of the schoolhouse gates arsenic a counter-protest to the Christians gathered connected the other broadside of the road.

Nick Tenconi, the person of UKIP, attended the Christians' protestation arsenic a subordinate of the Disciples of Christ - a protestant denomination fashionable successful the United States.

He said: 'We are saying that Christianity is being enactment to the broadside truthful that caput teachers tin tick a diverseness container to person much money.'

The protestation follows backlash against the schoolhouse online aft its announcement, with commenters calling the determination 'disgraceful' and 'shambolic' fearing Christmas celebrations would beryllium cancelled next.

Iqra, who didn't springiness her surname, acted arsenic a assemblage liaison for the parents during the protest.

She said: 'I americium conscionable truthful upset that the children are being taught hate. It is conscionable truthful unnecessary. None of those radical person children astatine this school.'

A subordinate of the Christian protestation handed a fig of cocoa eggs successful baskets to the parents astatine the antagonistic protest.

The radical besides acceptable up a array with Easter eggs and a 'Happy Easter' banner connected it.

At the clip of the archetypal announcement, the school's headteacher said: 'By not holding circumstantial spiritual celebrations, we purpose to make a much inclusive ambiance that honours and respects the beliefs of each our children and their families.'

Norwood Primary School is simply a mixed superior schoolhouse for pupils aged betwixt 3 and 11, and it has nary spiritual affiliation.

Miss Mander continued: 'We recognize that this alteration whitethorn beryllium disappointing for some, particularly those who person cherished these traditions implicit the years.

'However, we judge that this determination aligns with our values of inclusivity and respect for diversity.

'We are exploring alternate ways to observe the play successful aboriginal years, that volition beryllium inclusive of each children and bespeak the affluent taste diverseness of our community.

'We admit your knowing and enactment arsenic we marque this transition.

'If you person immoderate questions oregon concerns, delight bash not hesitate to interaction the schoolhouse office.

'Thank you for your continued support.'

At the protest, UKIP person Nick Tenconi work the archetypal missive to parents from Miss Mander connected a PA system.

Whenever the head's sanction was mentioned, the parents cheered 'we emotion her'.

Parents besides shouted for Mr Tenconi to work the 2nd missive from the caput teacher, and helium replied that it was lone written aft backlash, from groups similar his, pursuing the first.

One of the Christian protestors, grandma Marie Pigney from Titchfield, said: 'When I was successful schoolhouse Christianity was precise overmuch a portion of it. I and galore others judge that a instauration successful Christianity is truly bully for children and society. Christians are fed up of being pushed retired and being called names.'

Another Christian protester Rob Owen said: 'We are present to support that this [Easter] is portion of our civilization and traditions and needs to beryllium maintained.

'We are present to enactment Christianity and its accepted celebration.'

One father, who wished to stay anonymous, said that the protestation has meant that the pupils cannot be a choir show being held by their peers astatine The Point, arsenic teachers bash not privation to locomotion them past the protest.

He said: 'They are taking thing distant from the children by protesting thing being taken distant from the children.'

Another genitor who did not privation to beryllium named said: 'At the extremity of the time they are inactive celebrating Easter.

'Miss Mander is an astonishing person, she has brought this schoolhouse retired of the gutter.

'Parents person antithetic views, but arsenic a Christian if they deliberation it's amended to observe Easter successful the schoolhouse past truthful beryllium it.'

He added that portion of the crushed the schoolhouse decided to scrap the bonnet parade is that debased income households couldn't spend to marque one.

He said that families person been fixed a fig of forums with the schoolhouse to dependable their concerns.

The Christian protesters said a supplication and packed up earlier the extremity of the schoolhouse day, astatine astir 3.15pm.

A spokesperson for Hampshire constabulary said: 'Officers from our section neighbourhood policing squad and protestation liaison squad were contiguous this afternoon.

'We worked intimately with the organisers to guarantee immoderate disruption to section residents and the schoolhouse was kept to a minimum.

'No offences were committed and nary arrests made.'