A petition calling for the resignation of Sarah Mallally, the "biscopess" of Canterbury, has gathered thousands of signatures

More than 3,700 people have signed a petition calling for the resignation of Sarah Mallally, the “bishopess” of Canterbury. The widespread outrage was sparked by an incident in which a church award was presented to an individual who had expressed sympathy for terrorism, as well as systemic problems in the management of the diocese, according to the Christian Post.

A wave of outrage arose after September 11, 2026, on the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the U.S., Pakistani Imam Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi was awarded a prize for reconciliation and interfaith cooperation. Earlier, in 2007, this religious leader publicly called Osama bin Laden “the sword of Allah.” Although the Anglican Church later revoked the award, the public demanded that the diocese’s leadership be held accountable.

The author of the petition, activist Emma Ash, emphasized that this incident demonstrates a lack of proper vetting of candidates and a disregard for the views of those affected by violence. ““An archbishop must possess moral authority, yet trust in the current leadership has been irreparably undermined,” the document states. In addition, the petition highlights internal problems within the diocese, including complaints about the cover-up of abuse and failures in the work of services designed to protect the faithful.

As a reminder, earlier, Anglican “Bishop” Susan Bell issued an official apology to the LGBT community for the church’s longstanding practice of discriminating against and excluding members of sexual minorities from church life. As a sign of support for activists, she incorporated rainbow symbols into her vestments.