YOUNG people in Kendal waved an LGBTQ+ flag at a street preacher.

Three officers from Cumbria Police attended the scene by the bird cage in the Kendal Town Centre after a complaint was made about Dale McAlpine, of Workington by a member of the public.

Some young members of the community who disagreed with the preachers’ views waved an LGBTQ+ flag while he spoke.

Officers spoke with Mr McAlpine and several other people in the vicinity about the reported complaint before leaving.

The police confirmed they were contacted at 12:30pm, and no offences were identified. 

Mr McAlpine said: “I’m from Workington myself and I’ve been preaching for a few years. I’m a member of the Grace Baptist Church in Workington.

“I preach around a few places in Cumbria. I used to come to Kendal quite regularly. It’s a lovely place.

“The police got a complaint and they have to act.

“They haven’t told me yet what the complaint was, but we’ve had a few people come to speak to us.

“We record it all and we have our YouTube channel. We’ve got hundreds of videos from around Cumbria.

“I don’t mind about the complaint. It’s fine. The police have to act on this and investigate like they should.

“We are just exercising our freedom of expression, free speech, and we preach hope to people who have no hope.

“Everyone is dying. Every heartbeat they take is a heartbeat nearer to their day of death where they stood before the creator of everything. The one who knows them better then themselves and it’s a fearful thing the bible says. He commands all humanity to repent, to turn from their sins, whatever they are living for that is ungodly.”

One of the young people who opposed Mr McAlpine said: “I was raised catholic and wasn’t a huge fan of it. I don’t think this makes me want to come back to it.

“I walked past him before when there wasn’t as big of a crowd, I came back later and there was a bigger crowd. About 15 people were there altogether.

“We had a chat with him but we think he hides behind the bible.

“It’s the first time we’ve seen anything like this in Kendal while we’ve been here.

“We saw that someone called the police but we’re not sure who. It might have been someone walking past.

“We’re not against his free speech but we just don’t agree with it.

“If you believe this kind of thing, please just don’t push it on other people. It won’t achieve anything.”

Another said: “I am an atheist. I got a text about it and what was being said. When I came down with my friend, we kissed in front of him for fun really.

“We didn’t agree with what he was saying about women and about abortion.

“I went and got a flag and waved it around while he was talking.”