Militant gays in protest at cathedral

The gay rights group Outrage yesterday disrupted a cathedral service in a protest at what it said was Anglican support for anti-gay discrimination, writes Mark Rowe.

The campaigners, who had been sitting among the congregation at Southwark Cathedral in London, displayed placards declaring: "Stop Sacking Gay Clergy".

Dressed in suits and ties, the campaigners had knelt in silence at the altar for five minutes until one rose and told the congregation, including 60 Anglican primates from around the world, that the Church should embrace homosexual equality.

The provost, the Very Rev Colin Slee, said: "My sadness is that the case of homosexual people will not be furthered by causing stress to people who are sympathetic."