Heckling of gay Muslim speaker at school prompts Government to send in investigators

I feared at first that it was the teachers trying to keep order and uphold the values of tolerance, good manners and listening to an opposing view with courtesy that were being investigated. But no, it is the angry parents of the unruly children who are being geed up by some very unsavoury outfits. 

The Government has sent investigators to a school after a gay Muslim speaker was shouted down by students and later received death threats.  The Telegraph can disclose that the Department for Education has sent in investigators to work alongside local officials after the incident involving Khakan Qureshi

Mr Qureshi was giving a talk about equality at Wood Green Academy in Wednesbury, near Birmingham, when the lesson descended into chaos. . .In an audio clip of the November incident, one student is heard saying “you allowed a gay Muslim to tell lies” while another says: “There is only one Koran, what the f— is this guy on”.

Parents were infuriated when the teacher made a reference to 9/11 as he attempted to explain that Britain was a diverse and tolerant country.

A video of the incident was uploaded online. Police were later called in after Mr Qureshi received death threats online, which prompted him to consider moving house.

The same week more than 40 students boycotted classes. Parents have since formed an “action group” as the school received more than 800 complaints. They also received messages of support; I was one of them. 

Investigators assisting the Department for Education met with parents two weeks ago. (They include) an independent adviser in safeguarding and the implementation of the Prevent counter-extremism programme.

Sandwell Council is also investigating and it is understood the Government wants to ensure support is in place for the safety and wellbeing of pupils and staff.

Experts said they were concerned the row could be exploited by extremist groups and The Telegraph has learnt that some linked to the action group have directed parents to controversial organisations for “support”.

An update shared with some parents said “further support will be given to the students by both CAGE and Prevent Watch along with UMO (Union of masjid) MEND, IRU and wider community.”

Prevent Watch works closely with the founder of a campaign group which says the teaching of same-sex relationships is “zina”, an Islamic term for unlawful sex and brands sex education “state intrusion”.  Mend has been branded divisive by conservative politicians and think tanks but denies this and says it encourages Muslims to take part in British democracy.

Mr Qureshi said he had been invited to talk about overcoming discrimination but “faced some hostility from some of the pupils” and the presentation was recorded without his knowledge.  “It went viral and I received online hate, written abuse and death threats . . .  the police won’t act on it unless I’m physically attacked or threatened” he said.

The Henry Jackson Society, a national security think tank, has compiled a dossier of the threats, one of which told Mr Quereshi to “burn in hell” and “go slit your wrists and drown in a pool of acid”. In another he was told to “throw yourself off the highest building available”.

Charlotte Littlewood, from the think tank, said the incident had echoes of the protests outside Birmingham schools in 2019 over inclusive teaching.  . . She added that Cage being recommended as a support service amid false allegations made locally that students had been referred to the Prevent counter-extremism programme pointed “towards young people being used as a part of a wider Islamist political agenda”.

The Department for Education said it could not comment on individual cases. I don’t know if the two teachers have been threatened.