Outrage at lack of respect for gay campaigner
Gay rights group, Outrage, is accusing a prominent member of George Galloway’s Respect Party, of encouraging homophobia and violence against leader, Peter Tatchell.
In his column in Asian weekly entertainment newspaper, Desi Xpress, Adam Yosef denounced Mr Tatchell as a “bigot” who “needs a good slap in the face.” Yosef urges the Australian-born activist and his “queer campaign army” to “pack their bent bags and head back to Australia”.
The article places Peter Tatchell in a group of Britain’s “most hate filled bigots” including BNP leader Nick Griffin and Muslim cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed.
Outrage members are demanding an apology from the magazine and are calling on the Respect Party to condemn and expel Mr Yosef. They also want to ban him from publishing homophobic views.
Outrage’s Muslim Affairs spokesperson, Aaron Saeed said: “This is a new low for members of Respect. Equating an anti-racist like Peter Tatchell with a racist like Nick Griffin is sick.
“Inciting violence against Peter not only brings shame and dishonour to Respect, it is also a criminal offence.”
“The headlines, content and tone of Mr Yosef’s article is likely to stir up hatred against Tatchell and put him at risk of violent attack.”
Mr Yosef’s previous editorials have ridiculed gay weddings as a way of evading tax.
