Evangelist Loses Venues After Blaming Satan for Gay Marriage

All seven UK venues that were scheduled to host Franklin Graham this summer have now disinvited the evangelist, though he says the tour will go on. Birmingham, Liverpool and Sheffield are among the cities that had canceled Graham's appearances before Newcastle Upon Tyne did so Wednesday, CNN reports, after more than 5,000 people signed a petition. "Franklin Graham's views are wholly inconsistent with our city, which is preparing to welcome huge celebrations and tens of thousands of people this summer for UK Pride," the chair of a gay pride group said on the petition site, CNN reports. Graham has been critical of expanding rights for transgender people and has said Satan is to blame for the legalization of same-sex marriage. He's also described Islam as "wicked and evil." Graham has called on Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, who is gay, to repent.

The son of the late evangelist Billy Graham, Graham acknowledged this week that while opposition to his summer tour is strong in the UK, "so is the support," a Twitter post read. "While several venues have dropped out of the tour, more than 1,800 churches are rallying together in prayer." A statement on his organization's UK website said it's trying to find places available on the same dates for which the events had been scheduled, per the Hill. (More Franklin Graham stories.)