A UK clergyman was condemned by his own church Thursday after he denounced a national clap for the late hero British Army veteran Captain Sir Tom Moore as “a cult of white British nationalism.”
The Rev. Jarel Robinson-Brown sparked a firestorm Wednesday as Prime Minister Boris Johnson led the tribute to Moore, the 100-year-old World War II vet who raised almost $45 million for front-line health care workers during the pandemic.
Moore died Tuesday after getting infected with COVID-19 himself.
“The cult of Captain Tom is a cult of White British Nationalism,” the black Church of England clergyman wrote, according to Sky News.
“I will offer prayers for the repose of his kind and generous soul, but I will not be joining the ‘National Clap’.”
Robinson-Brown, who was newly appointed to the oldest church in the City of London, later offered “an unreserved apology for the insensitive timing and content of my tweet regarding the clap for Captain Tom,” Sky said.
The Rev. Jarel Robinson-Brown was heavily criticized for his comments on Captain Sir Tom Moore. TwitterAfter a torrent of outrage, he deleted his initial message — and by Thursday appeared to have deleted his Twitter account.
The Diocese of London announced Thursday that “a review is underway, led by the Archdeacon of London.”
“Jarel Robinson-Brown’s comments regarding Captain Sir Tom Moore were unacceptable, insensitive, and ill-judged,” the diocese said.
“The fact that he immediately removed his tweet and subsequently apologised does not undo the hurt he has caused, not least to Captain Tom’s family,” the statement added, also condemning the “racist abuse” it sparked for Robinson-Brown.
