An American pastor who gave a speech at a demonstration in Lorgan against the protocol has claimed in the past that the feminist movement brings “God’s curse upon your nation.”
Rusty Thomas has also previously referred to the Craigavuna District Hospital as the “gateway to hell” as part of his anti-abortion campaign.
Among the speakers at Friday’s rally against the Brexit deal were DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, TUV leader Jim Alistair and loyal activist Jimmy Bryson.
The rally drew criticism after the election poster of Ulster Federal Leader Doug Petty was revealed with a lanyard around his neck.
Sir Geoffrey and Sir Alistair had removed the poster and condemned the testimony which occurred after Mr Petty had left the gathering because they had used it to increase tensions.
Thomas was praised when he told protesters that people in the United States were praying for them and “ask the Lord to protect your sovereignty.”
Previously, the pastor, according to her social media profile originally from Texas, has spoken out against feminism and the decriminalization of abortion in Northern Ireland.
He had mentioned in a previous hadith that the “good and pious” had become “marginalized”.
“So when a nation replaces patriarchy with feminism, you go deeper and deeper into the curse of God on your nation,” she added.
Thomas also claimed that the Black Lives Matter movement was bolstered by “young white women, progressives and Marxists,” adding, “Women dominate you.”
At Cregaon Hospital, as part of the campaign against abortion, he previously said: “Brothers and sisters, I want to welcome you to the true gates of hell.
“Now I know that when you look at this place from the outside, it looks like a hospital. But now because of this unjust law, this hospital has ancient evils.”
His previous comments were broadcast on the BBC’s Nolan program in Ulster.
Mr Petty said he knew nothing of the pastor, but described his previous remarks as “utterly disgusting”.
“I can’t understand why he was put on this platform at an anti-protocol demonstration,” he told the programme.
Mr Alistair said he had been invited to speak at the gathering but was not involved in organizing the event.
He said, “I didn’t know anything about this guy until he got on the podium.
“He didn’t say anything on stage, which offended me, obviously someone invited him, and I don’t know who and I’m not responsible for it.”
The TUV leader admitted that the pastor was not the right person to speak at the demonstration, but said he would not allow people to “insult the event”.
He added: “The sad thing you are talking about now and the funny poster that was there that it drew attention from a very clear message and the tremendous success of this demonstration and the idiots who published this poster. We need to provide many answers in this regard.”
Mr Alistair also distanced himself from a demonstration by Roy Ferguson, a former TUV candidate who described Mr Beatty as a “property owner” and “traitor”.
The TUV leader said: “I think it was a complete mistake.
A series of demonstrations are taking place across Northern Ireland, reflecting union resistance and loyalists to the Northern Ireland Protocol, which provides for additional control over goods entering the UK from Northern Ireland.
It is categorically opposed by unionists, who see it as a border in the Irish Sea with the rest of the United Kingdom.
There is no indication that the organizers of Friday’s protest were connected to Mr Petty’s poster.
Contacted DUP for comment.
Source: Belfastlive
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