Free Presbyterian minister leading Rev Ian Paisley's former church in Belfast reports being 'ambushed' by family of anti-transgender teacher Enoch Burke
The Free Presbyterian minister who leads the congregation previously overseen by Rev Ian Paisley claims that the family of Enoch Burke "ambushed" him just before his Sunday evening service was about to begin.
Teacher Enoch Burke was suspended from a Protestant school in Co Westmeath, then dismissed and later jailed in a row over transgenderism. He cited his Christian beliefs when he refused to use a pupil’s preferred pronouns.
Since then his family have been known to confront multiple politicians in public places while videoing them – usually asking them questions about government policies on trans and LGBT issues.
More recently they have protested against DUP politicians for, they allege, promoting trans and LGBT policies as Stormont ministers and committee members.
Earlier this month members of the family were asked to leave the La Mon House Hotel in Comber, where the DUP annual party conference was taking place.
In March, three members of the family were forcibly removed from a gala dinner in Washington DC attended by Taoiseach Micheal Martin as part of St Patrick’s Day celebrations.
While canvassing ahead of November’s general election, Fine Gael leader and then-taoiseach Simon Harris was accosted by the Burkes in Castlebar, Co Mayo.
Now the minister of Martyrs’ Memorial Free Presbyterian Church in east Belfast – founded and previously led by Rev Ian Paisley – says he was confronted by the family.
Rev Ian Brown said the incident happened after 6pm on Sunday when two buses of children were en-route to church for Sunday School.
He reported that the Burkes "did their usual modus operandi, flung open the car door, came running ambushed and tried to ask a question".
The cleric said this was "not appropriate with those children coming and the service going to begin" but that he offered to speak to them after the church service.
"But of course, they don't seem to have a service to go to on the Lord's day while others are preaching the gospel of the unsearchable riches of Christ. They seem to be running around... ambushing people, ranting and railing."
Speaking in a video clip outside his church an hour after his Sunday evening service ended, he added: "Still, I'm willing to sit down, meet them, talk to them, all things of mutual concern, and let's see what will happen in that conversation."
Another Free Presbyterian Minister, Rev Marcus Leckey from Cookstown also took to Facebook recently to challenge comments he claimed they had made about him.
He said the family "allege that I am no friend to your son Enoch" but he contested: "On numerous occasions I have used my pulpit/internet ministry to highlight his case".
He added that they "question if I stand at the doors of schools protesting with my congregation" but he answered: "I do not. I stand inside almost every school in the area (primary and secondary) sharing the Gospel with the future generation, in Christian Assemblies and Scripture Unions."
The News Letter reached out to the Burke family for comment, but had not received any at the time of going to press.
In August the family accosted a DUP councillor Mervyn Storey, who is chairman of the Education Authority, outside the Hebron Free Presbyterian Church in Ballymoney.