Birmingham City Council has been granted an injunction that will prevent the ongoing protests against LGBT teaching at a primary school.
The interim injunction protects “the area immediately surrounding Anderton Park Primary School from further protests of the kind that have been held in the street outside the school for the last few weeks”, the council said.
The school has for months now been the target of angry parents because they say it “promotes” same-sex relationships. They have continued to gather outside the school in Dennis Road despite criticism from authorities including the council and police.
The head teacher of the school announced the site would close for half term early last week over safety fears.
Around 600 children were reportedly withdrawn from the school for day in protest earlier this month, and police have confirmed detectives are investigating reports of homophobic graffiti on the school premises.
Anderton Park has not adopted the No Outsiders lessons, but parents have demonstrated daily over claims that not enough information has been given out by the school regarding its efforts to teach tolerance and respect of minorities.
A group of LGBT activists who put up messages of support for staff were allegedly egged as a row erupted outside the school on Sunday night.
Birmingham Yardley MP Jess Phillips visited the school on Monday, during which she was captured in a discussion with protest co-ordinator Shakeel Afsar.
The protests come after the city’s Parkfield Community School announced it would be suspending the programme until a resolution was be reached with parents.
Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “I’m pleased that common sense has prevailed because children right across Birmingham should be free to attend school safely and without disruption.
“All our schools must be safe spaces and we will not tolerate the ongoing intimidation of parents, hard-working school staff and local residents.”
Moffat, who is shortlisted for a world’s best teacher award, resigned from another primary school also in Birmingham after a similar dispute with Muslim and Christian parents.
EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this article stated Andrew Moffat is the deputy head at Anderton Park Primary School. He is in fact deputy head a Parkfield Community School.