Britain to Lift Ban on Entry for Farrakhan

Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan won his appeal Tuesday against a government ban preventing him from visiting Britain.

Justice Michael Turner did not immediately disclose his reasoning in overturning the ban, imposed by former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s government in 1986. The judge said he would give his reasons Oct. 1, and he prohibited Farrakhan, a Chicago-based activist, from entering Britain until that time.

The government had argued that it was entitled to continue the ban, citing fears that Farrakhan’s presence could lead to public disorder because of his past negative statements about Jews.

“This is a sad day for all of us in Britain who worked for good race relations,” said Greville Janner, chairman of the Holocaust Educational Trust. “If he does come to Britain, I hope he will not be here to stir up ill will.”

Home Office official Beverley Hughes said the government would consider an appeal.

Farrakhan lawyer Nicholas Blake said the activist had “moved on” from hurtful language and wanted to bring Britain’s black communities a message of “self-reliance, dignity and discipline.”