News / Human Rights

Ban on anti-Israel vicar ‘reprehensible attack on free speech’

Wednesday, 11 February 2015 3:16 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 11 February 2015 7:32 PM ]

File image of the Reverend Dr. Stephen Sizer

A British human rights activist has denounced Church of England’s decision to ban anti-Israel priest Stephen Sizer from using social media as “a deplorable attack on free speech”.

“The attack on Stephen Sizer, the minister at Virginia Water, the Church of England minister is the most reprehensible, deplorable attack on free speech in this country, and furthermore it is an attack upon his rights as a minister of the religion in this country," William Spring told Press TV on Wednesday.

The outspoken priest came under attack from pro-Israeli lobbies after he posted a link online blaming Israeli for the September 11 attacks in the US.

Press TV contacted the vicar on Wednesday but he declined to comment on the issue.

The ruling by the new Bishop of Guildford, the Right Reverend Andrew Watson, is seen as one of the sweeping sets of restrictions ever placed on a serving Church of England cleric, The Telegraph reported.

The ban came following a complaint by the Board of Deputies of British Jews which accused the vicar of anti-Semitism.

Sizer is an outspoken supporter of the Palestinian cause. He is also strongly opposed to Christian Zionism.

“It is my contention...that Christian Zionism is the largest, most controversial and most destructive lobby within Christianity. It bears primary responsibility for perpetuating tensions in the Middle East, justifying Israel's apartheid colonialist agenda and for undermining the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians,” he wrote in an article published by Middle East Monitor back in 2013.

HA/HA

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