Ireland bans US preacher who called for gay executions
Advocacy group welcomes action taken by the minister of justice
London—An American pastor who said governments should execute gay people and welcomed a shooting at a gay nightclub has become the first person to be banned from entering Ireland under a 20-year-old law. The Irish government acted after more than 14,000 people signed an online petition calling for Steven Anderson, who has called gay people “a bunch of disgusting perverts and paedophiles”, to be stopped from preaching in Ireland on May 26. Justice and equality minister Charlie Flanagan issued the order “in the interests of public policy”, according to a statement. Anderson was unavailable for comment. The pastor responded to the 2016 shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, by saying: “The good news is there’s 50 less paedophiles in the world.” Paula Fagan, the head of advocacy and support group LGBT Ireland, welcomed what she called “the decisive action by the minister for justice”. Activists also said the incident showed the need for a hate crime law in Ireland. “It has hi...
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