A vicar has been guarded by police in Doncaster Minster, as anti-immigration protesters stormed the church to accuse him of deliberately disrupting their speeches with bell ringing.
Rev Canon Dr Richard Firth, vicar at Doncaster Minster, was surrounded by the demonstrators on Saturday.
Having marched along the High Street with banners reading “send them back” and “save our kids”, the Unite the Right UK group were directed by police to gather the green outside the Minster; away from counter-protestors from Stand Up to Racism and Doncaster Together. During their speeches, bells could be heard ringing out from within the church.
Videos shared by user ‘Active Patriot UK’ on Facebook showed a group of around 15 protesters entering the Minster, some draped in flags and brandishing cameras, accompanied by police officers. One approached Canon Firth and said: “You’re supposed to be a Christian preacher. Yet you clearly don’t support British values and you don’t support Britain, because you’re happy to see this country being invaded.”
The group accused the vicar of attempting to drown out their speeches with the bells, to which he replied: “It’s Saturday. The bell ringers practice on Saturday.”
Canon Firth was then filmed comforting a parishioner behind a line of police, as protesters continued to argue with officers.
A Unite the Right UK organiser, Steve Dand, has now disavowed those who stormed the church. He said in a video statement: “We know that the vicar attended the counter protest, we weren’t impressed that happened. But that doesn’t give people the right to enter that church and confront him about it.
“Entering a house of God and confronting the vicar was out of order, it should never have happened. I will personally apologise to the vicar for what was done.”
Doncaster Stand Up to Racism said Canon Firth had been targeted “by far right racists and fascists” for his support for their event.
A statement continued: “We feel it is an absolute disgrace that the far right are bullying one of our church and community leaders in Doncaster. So much for their ‘true Christian values’.”