Pastor Terry Jones' plan to visit UC Irvine spurs security move

UC Irvine closed parts of its campus Thursday after police there detected suspicious activity associated with a planned visit by the Rev. Terry Jones, the controversial Koran-burning pastor, according to university spokesman Tom Vasich.

Although Jones was denied a permit to speak in Anteater Plaza, he had told the university he was still planning on coming.

The Florida pastor is known for threatening in 2010 to burn the Koran on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and eventually did so last March, sparking an international reaction that included protests in Afghanistan, where effigies of the pastor were burned in the streets.

Vasich said the campus is a free-speech zone but that Anteater Plaza requires a permit and another organization had reserved the 11:30 a.m. time slot.

Anteater Plaza, Ring Road, the flagpoles and Pereira Road are now closed to pedestrian and vehicular traffic until further notice for security reasons, Vasich said.

Campus police have communicated to Jones and he will not be allowed on the campus.

Vasich wanted to confirm this was precautionary and there have not been any security threats yet.

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-- Joanna Clay, Times Community News

Twitter: @joannaclay

Photo: Rev. Terry Jones at the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Fla. Jones planned to visit UC Irvine. Credit: John Raoux / Associated Press