You're a DISGRACE! Piers Morgan blasts ex-EDL Tommy Robinson in huge 20-min row on terror
ITV host Piers Morgan came to blows with ex-English Defence League (EDL) leader Tommy Robinson on Good Morning Britain today in the wake of the Finsbury Park attack.
GMB: Piers Morgan BLASTS Tommy Robinson for Islamophobia
The 52-year-old broadcaster fiercely clashed with the political activist, 34, and blasted Robinson over a series of social media posts he tweeted an hour after the terror attack in north London.
Furious Piers Morgan slammed Robinson as a "bigoted lunatic stirring up hatred."
Appearing on the show, the far-right winger prompted fury after accusing the Finsbury Park Mosque of "creating terrorists".
Reid, 46, interjected and pointed out that although the mosque had had historical links to terrorism and hate preacher Abu Hamza, it had since reformed and was now winning awards for promoting integration.
Piers Morgan and Tommy Robinson clash on Good Morning Britain
Posting to his Twitter page, Robinson told his 309,000 followers: “Before people start aiming hate or threats at me about this revenge attack at your mosque tonight, I've warned for yrs what u will create [sic].”
He followed up with a second post, reading: “The mosque where the attack happened tonight has a long history of creating terrorists & radical jihadists & promoting hate & segregation.”
Piers Morgan and Tommy Robinson clash on Good Morning Britain
You’re sounding like a bigoted lunatic. You are an Islamophobe, who hates Islam
His words led Morgan to step in: “My issue is with what you did within one hour of this utter lunatic, this terrorist mowing down innocent people."
The debate between the three of them grew more heated as Morgan and Robinson fought to speak over one another.
At one point, the Good Morning Britain presenter had to say: “This is how the programme works, you are a guest on our programme and you answer the questions.”
Reid then asked whether he wanted to implement a similar ban to the one Donald Trump had proposed, which would prevent muslims from coming to UK. Robinson responded by saying he would welcome a temporary measure.
Piers Morgan and Tommy Robinson clash on Good Morning Britain
Susanna Reid slammed Tommy Robinson on Good Morning Britain
Tommy Robinson clashed with Piers Morgan on the ITV show
The interview grew even more heated after Robinson presented a copy of the Koran. Piers Morgan told Robinson to "show some damn respect for people's religious beliefs."
Robinson said: “If I hold up this book and say, ‘There will never be peace on Earth so long as we have this book - it’s a violent and cursed book’. Can I tell you who said that? Sir William Gladstone.”
His actions enraged Morgan more, who asked whether he would do the same thing to the Bible as he lambasted Robinson: “Show some respect for people’s religious beliefs, stop waving it around. You’re sounding like a bigoted lunatic. You are an Islamophobe, who hates Islam.”
“I don’t hate Islam,” Robinson hit back as Morgan continued: “You think muslims are to blame. What you’re doing now is deliberately inflammatory. You are having the complete opposite effect to the one you say you have.
“You are stirring up hatred, you are abusing people’s religion, you’re being a complete disgrace.”
Morgan added: “We are in this mess because people abuse the wording of Islam. You abuse and mock their holy book.”
The heated exchange comes after the attack in Finsbury Park in the early hours of yesterday morning, which saw a man driving a van ploughing into a crowd of worshippers leaving one dead and 11 injured.
The identity of the perpetrator has now been released as Darren Osborne, who was said to have previously expressed hatred for muslims.
An eyewitness claimed that Osborne started yelling: “I want to kill more muslims,” after exiting from the vehicle.
Osborne's family have since spoken out and expressed their sadness at the tragedy.
A vigil was held for the victims of the incident yesterday evening as leaders from different faiths came together in solidarity.
It is the third terrorist incident in London in as many months and comes in the wake of the Westminster Bridge and London Bridge attacks.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV at 6am.