Crucifix row man's relief

Neal Keeling

April 11, 2008

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Joe Protano

NO legal action will be taken against a hospital porter quizzed by police after a row over a crucifix being covered up in a prayer room.

Joseph Protano, 54, was fired after the incident at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital in Pendlebury.

He was dismissed for gross misconduct, then lost an appeal.

Police then interviewed him for four hours on suspicion of religiously aggravated assault, but he was released without charge.

A file on the case was sent to the Crown Prosecution Service, but crown lawyers have decided not to prosecute him.

Mr Protano, a Catholic, now intends to take his case to an employment tribunal in a claim of unfair dismissal.

The row centres on a prayer room available to staff and visitors of all faiths at the hospital, which contains a Virgin Mary picture and crucifix.

Mr Protano, who had worked at the hospital for two years, entered the room when three Muslims were using it - the parent and brother of a patient, and a doctor.

An argument broke out after he asked them to remove a cloth covering the crucifix and a statue of the Virgin Mary, and to turn the picture face up. Mr Protano, speaking for the first time about the incident, said: "I am very relieved that I will not be prosecuted. I had to go through six weeks of waiting for a decision, when I could not sleep."

Mr Protano, from Salford, said he went into the prayer room regularly during the day to check the crucifix and statue were not left covered. He said he felt it could be upsetting for visiting parents to find them covered up.

He said: "I went into the room and saw three people praying. I saw the statue was covered up.

"I uncovered it, said a little prayer myself, and asked them not to cover it up again.

"Accidentally, I banged the door shut as I left by pulling on it too hard. The three people in the room then came out and it kicked off in the corridor.

"They had made allegations that I swore at them and made racist remarks, which was completely untrue. I was not aggressive towards them."

Mr Protano was employed by Medirest, which supplies porters, catering staff, cleaners and grounds maintenance staff to the hospital. The company has declined to comment.

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Rugbygirl, Urmston (11/04/2008 at 08:08)

Give the man his job back! If the Police have decided that they could not charge him with anything then an innocent man has lost his job. There is far too much emphasis on so called racial attacks like this. it was an argument between some people - colour should not come into it at all. The fact that it was all over religion was stupid. When will people learn to tolerate other views and beliefs? The people who covered up the crucifix were wrong - pure and simple.

M C Spanner (11/04/2008 at 08:30)

Good Luck to Him.

It is a multi faith prayer room and none of the symbols should be defaced.

Laura Norder, Didsbury (11/04/2008 at 08:57)

I think playing the race card - by the 'agrieved party' - says it all.

When those words (we all know)are uttered, I immediately think there is no substance to the claims of those who seek to promote their argument or defence.

I'm not religious, but I wish this gentleman well with his legal fight.

dessie, manchester (11/04/2008 at 09:33)

multi cultural society your making me laugh arent ya!!

The Bobelesque, MANCHESTER (11/04/2008 at 10:48)

I'm not religious at all but I gather both Islam and Roman Catholicism are foreign to these shores. Surely the prayer Room in question should be for Anglicans users only. Only a thought.

Voter (11/04/2008 at 11:20)

This man must be given back his job. All over the country, there are hospitals that are dirty and yet no one is sacked for that.

the beer baron (11/04/2008 at 11:38)

People complain there aren't enough beds in hospitals yet they still find room to accomodate religioun. Thought the purpose of hospital was to treat ill patients.

Guten Tag (11/04/2008 at 11:45)

Good luck Mr Protano. And Bobelesque, I thought this place was awash with Catholicism until a certain fat chap with the name Henry decided he'd get his own way by banning it and starting up his own sect?

Sense (common), Burnage (11/04/2008 at 11:49)

What gives this man the right to tell other users of a multi-faith prayer-room what to do?
He wasn't his responsibility for a start, and why should non-catholics have to pray with catholic icons in place?

They did not deface anything, simply covered them over while they worshiped their own god.

He had no right to do or say anything, he should simply have waited until they had finished.

Pippa, Manchester (11/04/2008 at 12:19)

Well Said Guten Tag.

M C Spanner (11/04/2008 at 12:33)

Sense (coomon)

It is a "multi-faith" room. That means for all religions. It is not an Mosque when Muslims are in there or a sysnagoue when Jews are in there.

If a Catholic walks in and sees Catholic icons covered up and is offended it does not fill the purpose of a multi faith room.

If the people praying were concerned about the icons they should have prayed in another area.

The Bobelesque, MANCHESTER (11/04/2008 at 12:33)

Guten Tag: I am aware of the religious history, however this country is now protestant and home of Anglicanism.

Roman (the clues in the name) was imported in any case. These islands previously followed celtic christianity, a religion which more closely folled Christ's teachings than either Anglicanism or Catholicism.

Grief Tourist, Tameside (11/04/2008 at 12:55)

Since Christ is a prophet in Islam the covering up of the artefacts cannot be an insult, unless they want to insult their own faith.

Glotiaaaaaaaaaaaah, Great Manchester (11/04/2008 at 13:03)

my invisible friend's better than your invisible friend.
politics of the play ground.

STONEY Mancunia (11/04/2008 at 14:26)

What a load of rubbish.Who cares about any religion,it causes more wars and more arguments than anything else..

M C Spanner (11/04/2008 at 14:27)

"my invisible friend's better than your invisible friend"

Politics of a lunatic asylum

whoownsthebankofengland? (11/04/2008 at 14:36)

Once the world is cleaned of this terrible mental disease (abrahams religions and all its spin-offs) the world will be a better place.

p.s. probably would have being alot less agrivating if he just waited five minuites.

brit in sweden, Gnesta, SE (11/04/2008 at 14:42)

As a Christian, I would simply ask, "What would Jesus do?"

Which would He be more interested in; the anguish of those praying for a loved one, or some pieces of soulless idolatry?

I don't know how good a porter this man was (but I find it hard to believe that starting arguments with distraught family members can be in the job description), but he's obviously a pretty poor Christian.

And once again, as a Christian, I find it very sad that so many would rather side with him rather than a grieving family.

better off red (11/04/2008 at 15:14)

I wonder how much this cost us?

Sense (common), Burnage (11/04/2008 at 16:33)

"Mr Protano, from Salford, said he went into the prayer room regularly during the day to check the crucifix and statue were not left covered. He said he felt it could be upsetting for visiting parents to find them covered up."

Did it not occur to him that it might be more than a little upsetting for the family of a muslim patient to be interupted while praying for their loved one?

Ignorance!

David,North M/C (11/04/2008 at 17:13)

Its about respect really,doesnt sound as though there was any shown here.

Guten Tag (11/04/2008 at 19:31)

Bobelesque, I'm not into religion to be honest. It all seems to be the cause of arguments and conflict (rather like this discussion). But this country was once Catholic dominated. Just because one man changed the name of the religion doesn't mean we are all still, in reality, Catholics. In practice we may be something different, but Protestantism is catholic under a different name. Regards, Fr/Rev Guten Tag

BluePolarBear, ex of Stockport (11/04/2008 at 22:17)

Protestant,Catholic,Muslim etc..most of the adherents to any faith,are followers,because they were born into it,and for no better reason than that.I respect the right of anyone to hold their faith,but it has more to do with culture ,tribalism and politics,than a real search for rruth.
The knee jerk adoption of your parents religion,doesn't make you anymore right, than the person down the road who follows a different faith.Christian America vs Moslem Iran/Iraq,Celtic vs Rangers etc ..what a load of guff it all is.
I hope one day that the human race,can grow beyond the infantile divisiveness of religion and the sectarian culture that seems to emerge as a result of it.
Personally I don't see Britain as needing to be protestant,or anything else..the more secular the better.The government are stoking this up too,with their faith schools..ridiculous.All kids should be educated in a non-divisive secular system,and be able to choose,without school indoctrination from the various religions, or to have none at all.The alternative,fosters ghettoes and divisions.All religions in Britain have added to this ..and we are all funding this mess.

Napoleon, Manchester (11/04/2008 at 23:35)

If your god or god is bothered or offended by being covered by a cloth then he she or it is simply not worth prayer faith or devotion.

ace, manchester (12/04/2008 at 13:49)

Napoleon, Manchester
But the same goes for muslims who get upset about cartoons ? its time to integrate.and accept that other people have a view on your religion without threatening them with death..i dont hear other religions threatening people with death because they dont agree...i hope this gets printed..

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