A PREACHER in Carlisle has attracted strong opposition for his divisive views.

Dale McAlpine, a preacher who is a member of the Grace Baptist Church in Workington, was handing out leaflets to people and preaching to everyone in the city, which attracted the attention and opposition of LGBT youth, who stood around Dale holding Pride flags, opposing what they said was hateful rhetoric.

Dale said: "I am here to preach to Good News, and make people Christians and save people from God's wrath.

"I don't hate anybody, I am just preaching the Bible.

When asked if he thinks gay people will go to hell, he said: "Yes, that's what the Bible says.

"The Bible very clearly says that all sex outside of marriage is a sin against God, if they die in their sinful state without forgiveness they will suffer forever in a lake of fire."

Opposing the divisive speaker was Steven Westgarth, a member of the LGBThq and Pride in North Cumbria, an LGBT youth charity in Carlisle, along with other young protestors.

Steven said: "He (Dale McAlpine) uses religion as a front for hate speech.

"The problem is that we have got young LGBT people who are minors and are working our their gender and sexuality or might be allies to LGBT people, and when he comes to perform hate speech, a lot of those young people go down there to stand up for their rights, but what we have are people who are already homophobic, and his hate speech fires up young homophobic people, which wouldn't happen if he wasn't speaking in this city."

Jack Ward, 17, was in the group protesting, and said: "We were having a respectful conversation with him, asking him questions about why he believes what he does.

"The conversation became focussed on homophobic and transphobic beliefs, and the situation turned more hostile."

Following the peaceful protest, a young 15 year-old was arrested for the assault of a 17 year-old male.