Sikh leaders to meet police after violent theatre protests

SIKH community leaders are to hold talks with police today in a bid to avoid a repeat of violent protests inside a theatre which forced the abandonment of a controversial play.

Officials from the Birmingham Rep are also expected to attend the discussions about Behzti, a black comedy which depicts sexual abuse and murder inside a Sikh temple.

Meanwhile, three men who were arrested on Saturday night on suspicion of public order offences have been released on police bail.

Hundreds of demonstrators stormed the theatre amid chaotic scenes in which windows were smashed and three police officers suffered minor injuries.

A West Midlands Police spokesman confirmed three men had been released pending further inquiries and officers were set to engage in talks with community leaders today.

The next production of Behzti, which has come under fire from senior church leaders, is scheduled to take place tonight.

The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham expressed regret at the theatre’s handling of the row.

In a statement, the Most Revd Vincent Nichols said: “In recent weeks the Sikh community has acted in a reasonable and measured way in representing their deep concerns to the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

“I regret that the Repertory Theatre, in the interests of the common good, has not been more responsive. The right to freedom of expression has corresponding duties to the common good.

“Such a deliberate, even if fictional, violation of the sacred place of the Sikh religion demeans the sacred places of every religion.

“People of all faiths, therefore, will be offended by this presentation.”

The theatre has been targeted with a number of peaceful protests over the past week.

Behzti, written by actress-turned-playwright Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti - herself a Sikh - is expected to run at the Rep until the end of December and explores issues of sexual abuse, manipulation and relationships in the setting of a Gurdwara.

The theatre, which has rejected overtures to change the setting of the play from a Gurdwara to a community centre, says the production is a work of fiction and makes no comment about Sikhism as a faith or its followers.

In a statement earlier this week, managers said: “The Rep has been transparent with leaders in the Sikh community about the content and nature of the play in discussions over the last few months and has agreed to provide audiences with a statement written by those community members who do not approve of the play.”

“The theatre has also made efforts to ensure positive representation of Sikhism as a faith in its programme notes.

“Equally the characters in the play are not intended to be representative of the Sikh community, they are works of fiction characterising the fallibility of human nature and the injustice and hypocrisy that exists in the real world.”