Evangelist preacher Franklin Graham planned a seven-city UK tour. All seven venues have dropped him

By Rob Picheta, CNN
Updated 1559 GMT (2359 HKT) February 6, 2020

(CNN) — A planned UK tour by US evangelist Franklin Graham is in question after every venue booked by the preacher canceled planned appearances, following an outcry over his homophobic and Islamophobic comments.

Graham -- the son of preacher Billy Graham -- has called Islam "evil," attacked laws increasing rights for transgender people, and told his followers that the legalization of same-sex marriage was orchestrated by Satan.

Now, every venue booked by Graham as part of a lengthy summer tour of the UK has told him not to come.

An arena in Newcastle upon Tyne became the seventh and final venue to cancel his scheduled appearance on Wednesday. The move follows similar decisions by venues in other British cities, including Birmingham, Liverpool and Sheffield.

Graham, one of the most high-profile speakers in the US, is the president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and an outspoken supporter of US President Donald Trump, whose election he believes was enabled by God. Graham has spoken at multiple rallies held by Trump.

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Franklin Graham, Dropped by U.K. Venues, Says He Will Proceed With Tour

New locations are being considered after all the tour’s scheduled venues removed Mr. Graham from their calendars, according to organizers. At least one cited concerns over the pastor’s views.

By Derrick Bryson Taylor
Feb. 6, 2020
Updated 6:42 a.m. ET

A planned tour of Britain by the American evangelist Franklin Graham, an outspoken social conservative and a vocal supporter of President Trump, will move forward despite venues’ removing him from their calendars over concerns about his past statements, according to organizers.

The tour, a series of lectures and concerts that aim to teach biblical principles and tips on spreading Christian Gospel, is scheduled to begin on May 30 in Glasgow before making stops in Newcastle, Liverpool, Birmingham and elsewhere. But late last month, a convention center in Liverpool announced that it would no longer be hosting Mr. Graham after being made aware of statements it viewed as “incompatible” with its values.

“In light of this we can no longer reconcile the balance between freedom of speech and the divisive impact this event is having in our city,” the venue, ACC Liverpool, said in a statement.

Over the next days, other venues across the country made similar announcements. In Milton Keynes, for instance, the Marshall Arena said it had canceled its own Graham event over concerns that it could “lead to a breach of the peace.” Now, no date on the tour’s website has a designated venue, and all the locations are listed as “TBA.”

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