A UK cleric was convicted by his own church on Thursday after denouncing one national applause for the late veteran hero of the British army, Captain Sir Tom Moore, as “a cult of white British nationalism”.
The Rev. Jarel Robinson-Brown caused a firestorm Wednesday as prime minister Boris Johnson led the tribute to Moore, the centennial veteran of World War II who raised nearly $ 45 million for front-line health workers during the pandemic.
Moore died Tuesday after becoming infected with COVID-19.
“The cult of Captain Tom is a cult of white British nationalism,” the black clergyman of the Church of England wrote, according to Sky News.
“I will offer prayers for the rest of his kind and generous soul, but I will not join the ‘National Clap’.”
Robinson-Brown, who was recently nominated for the city of London’s oldest church, later offered “an unreserved apology for the time and insensitive content of my tweet about the clap by Captain Tom,” he said. Sky.
After a torrent of outrage, he deleted his initial message and, by Thursday, seemed to have it. deleted his Twitter account.
He Announced Diocese of London Thursday that “a review is underway, led by the Archdeacon of London.”
“Jarel Robinson-Brown’s comments about Captain Sir Tom Moore were unacceptable, insensitive and misjudged,” the diocese said.
“Immediately removing his tweet and subsequently apologizing did not undo the harm he has caused, especially to Captain Tom’s family,” the statement added, which also condemned the “racist abuses” caused by Robinson-Brown.