Reports LGBTQ protesters incited 'violence and fear' at Christian gathering

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• By Avi Yemini

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Christian Lives Matter founder Charlie Bakhos has condemned the violence that broke out when LGBTQ protestors tried to block a church in Sydney’s South West on Tuesday night.

Bakhos said he had no idea that more than 600 people would arrive at St Michael’s Church in Belfield when he advertised a prayer meeting there in response to LGBTQ protestors.

Reports from those on the ground claim protesters attending the event from outside suburbs attempted to vandalise Church property and destroy a Crucifix, which incited Christians at the event.

Western Sydney communities are increasingly frustrated their concerns about religious freedoms are failing to be heard as progressive activist groups continue to push a social agenda at odds with their faith and politicians refuse to act.

Some locals say they are 'fed up' with mainstream media reports which continue to fuel the cultural divide with one-sided coverage of the issue. 

The Community Action for Rainbow Rights (CARR) group had threatened to block access to the church where NSW One Nation leader Mark Latham was giving a talk on religious freedom and parental rights.

They accused Latham of being a transphobe.

Bakhos organised a prayer vigil outside the church but said he was shocked when hundreds of people arrived, many of whom were not Christians but who wanted to defend the church from swarm of LGBTQ protestors.

“We don’t condone violence and that’s not what we organised,” Mr Bakhos told the Daily Telegraph.

“A big group of us did pray, but at the end of the day you can’t control everyone else’s reactions,” he said.

“Last night showed that this is much bigger than Christian Lives Matter. More than 80 per cent of people I’ve never seen in and some people came to pray and others came to protect the church.

“There were Muslims, nonbelievers and Christians who came together.”

Bakhos said tensions were still high after queer comedian Reuben Kaye made an x-rated joke about Jesus on Channel 10 program The Project and so while he did not condone violence he was unsurprised when some people attacked CAAR protestors.

Joseph Charbel, who attended Tuesday night’s protest, said he doubted the LGBTQ protestors would have tried to a Mosque.

“These activists wouldn’t dare go to a Mosque and Synagogue, yet they expected us to sit there and let them come into our own backyard and not do anything,” he said.

“When word got around on social media about the unauthorised protest by CARR everyone got together to defend the church.

“You can’t incite fear and threats towards us and expect people not to defend, especially when we didn’t know how many would be coming from their side.”