Protester Disrupts Westminster Abbey Slave Abolition Service

A protester disrupted a service marking the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade at Westminster Abbey yesterday.

Campaigner Toyin Agbetu, 39, stood in front of the altar shouting demands for an apology at the Queen and Prime Minister Tony Blair at the Westminster Abbey commemoration.

Some Christian leaders have said the Church of England has a lesson to learn from the Westminster Abbey Abolition service, saying that it "alienated" a number of the people it intended to represent.

Rev Katei Kirby, Chief Executive of the African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance (ACEA) and Joel Edwards, General Director of the Evangelical Alliance (EA), who were present at the service, welcomed it as a landmark and necessary state event.

But they added that it missed the opportunity to deeply reflect the sentiments of the African and Caribbean communities.

Toyin Agbetu, 39, a campaigner for African-British human rights organisation Ligali, shouted "this is an insult to us" as worshippers - including the Queen and Mr Blair - read a section of liturgy confessing their sins.

The Evangelical leaders said that although they disagreed with the form of protest, they thought the lack of a formal state apology meant many of the worshippers, black and white, would have identified with the sentiments expressed.