MANCHESTER, England - About 100 protesters gathered Thursday outside a concert by Eminem, shouting for the American rap star to "stop the bigotry, stop the hate."

Eminem's arrival in Britain was a hot topic on television news programs and talk shows because of violent lyrics about homosexuals and women on his Grammy-nominated album "The Marshall Mathers LP.''

Gay rights activists and women's groups expressed their displeasure with the 28-year-old rapper's songs by demonstrating outside the sold-out Manchester Arena, the site of his first of three British shows.

"We want to call attention to the fact that his lyrics have a direct affect on the lives of gay people,'' said Daniel Murphy, a member of the National Union of Students' gay, lesbian and bisexual campaign, which coordinated the peaceful protest.

"People look up to Eminem and adopt his language and his attitude,'' he said.

Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Bruce Mathers III, arrived in Manchester on Thursday aboard a private jet from Paris. An armored van drove him from the airport, and security was tight outside the arena.

Eminem won two Grammys last year and received four nominations this year, including one for album of the year.

In Eminem's lyrics, he refers to "fags,'' fantasizes about raping his own mother and jokes about domestic violence. He even has written songs about killing his wife, with whom he has had a troubled relationship.

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